Through the Ages
by frostedheavens
Summary: Manta is sent back into the past 1000 years ago. There, he meets none other than Asakura Hao in his first life. Amidst conflicts and betrayals, Manta struggles to get back safely to his own time, but yet begins to realise his purpose in the Heian Period.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**Hi everyone… Presenting Through the Ages to you. As the summary says, this is about Manta travelling back in time to the Heian Period, and where he meets the first-life Asakura Hao. I've been toying with this idea for a pretty long time, but only got down to it recently. I'll try to be as regular as possible in updates. The second chapter's already done, so it shouldn't be a problem for now. ;)**

**Oh and please don't get the wrong idea, this is NOT a yaoi or shonen-ai fic. It's simply the relationship of two people I've always been curious about. What kind of relationship? Look at the genre.  
**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King. Never have, never will (though I wish I did)**

* * *

"The Heian Period of Japan was a period of peace and prosperity, preceded that only of the Nara Period," the brown-haired teacher explained. "It is marked as the Golden Age of Japan, and it is also within this era that the written language also included Chinese, although it was mainly reserved for men's use only…" 

The whole class was silent as the teacher carried on with her lecture, but whether any of them were really listening was doubtful. Only one student, blonde and small beyond belief, was listening with rapt attention, and taking notes at high speed.

The Shaman Fight had been temporarily put on hold, for the Patch had showed an unusual display of generosity by allowing the participants go back to their homes for two months. Of course, the real motive (as explained by a sheepish Silva), was to allow the Patch tribe some time-off to recoup their losses, since funds were running dangerously low, much more so than usual.

Still, Manta wasn't unhappy, and neither were the rest of Yoh's team-mates – each were secretly grateful for being allowed the chance to visit their homes again, although all had complained loudly about the delay. Horo Horo and Pirika had gone back to Hokkaido, Ren, Jun and Pailong had returned to China, and Chocolove had gone back to New York. The rest, including Manta, Yoh, Anna, Ryu, Faust and Eliza, had decided to come to Funbari Hill instead. While Yoh and the others were better off relaxing at the house, Manta found it more worthwhile to continue with his extra night classes instead, and had taken up a course specializing in history at the school conducted every evening.

"Well, that's it for today," the teacher concluded, finally ending another session of night class. "Please do a report on the Heian Period, to be handed in next week." A series of muffled groans followed, and the class immediately started to filter out.

After a couple of "See you, Manta!" on his way out, Manta began a small jog to the train station, in an effort to keep himself warm. It was already 10pm, the autumn air was chilly, and the short blonde couldn't wait to get back the warmth of Yoh's house.

_A report of the Heian Period…_ Manta mused to himself as he sat himself on a seat in the near-empty train. A certain mahogany-haired someone came to Manta's mind, one who he would rather not think about… Asakura Hao had been one of the rarer ones that were less-than-happy about the suspension of the Fight, probably since it meant a longer delay to accomplish his goal. The last that Manta saw of him had been when all shamans had been called to gather to receive the news and his expression had been void of the usual indulgent composure that was usually plastered on his face. It was somewhat regained afterward, after a sardonic smile had crept across his lips when he caught Manta staring at him.

Just the memory of that friendly yet intimidating grin made Manta shiver even now. _Come to think of it, Hao was also born in the Heian Period, _Manta remembered with a slight jolt. _1000 years ago…_

Still, why was he even thinking about him? What did it matter, anyway? Hao had nothing to do with himself. As the train came to a halt, Manta alighted, determinedly keeping himself from thoughts of the pyromaniac.

* * *

The silence hit Manta like a brick when he first stepped into the house. Sensing something amiss, the blonde kicked off his shoes and made his way to the hall, only to find it empty. So was the kitchen. 

Manta wondered first if they had gone out, but quickly dismissed the thought, knowing that Anna would have made sure all the lights were switched off. So where were they? And why wasn't Ryu making his voice heard as always?

He didn't have to wait long to find out.

Climbing to the next floor, he soon heard muffled voices coming through a shut door – Anna's room. Curiosity instantly peaked, he was about to knock when he heard his name being mentioned.

"…Shouldn't we inform Manta about this?" a deep baritone belonging to Amidamaru filtered through the door.

"No." The curt tones were easy to recognize. "The fewer people who know about this, the better. This is very advanced magic, and possibly the most dangerous."

"So?" Ryu's coarse voice asked in confusion.

A small sigh. "So, it's best for a normal human like Manta to be left in the dark. Time travel is no laughing matter. If he were to find out, do you think he would be willing to be left out? What if the spell went wrong? He wouldn't be able to do anything to protect himself."

"I still think that we should at least let him know, Miss Anna," Amidamaru replied. "We don't need to allow him to participate, just…"

A slight thump on the table cut him off, sounding like Anna setting a tea cup down firmly. "And then he'll FEEL left out. Like we're not including him even after he decided to stay with Yoh. All of you know that it is absolutely impossible for Manta to defend himself against danger."

A short silence followed this proclamation. "I'm not saying Manta is weak," Anna's voice said resignedly. "I'm merely being realistic. We cannot possibly allow Manta to risk himself like this, and a high level of power, control and skill is needed to go back in time safely. Manta is but a mere human. That fact cannot be changed."

"I agree," Yoh's voice spoke softly, with a hint of regret in it. "Although I hate to do this, Manta can't come with us."

Ryu sighed. "Well, if Master says so… There is a point, I guess."

"How are we going to do it?" Amidamaru asked.

This time, it was Faust who spoke. "The longest possible time span that can still provide some measure of safety stated here in the Cho Senji Ryakketsu is 513 years. It's not impossible to go further back, but it is extremely dangerous and strongly discouraged. But there is no need of that. All we need to do for now is to go back 13 years ago."

"To put an end to Hao the moment he's born, right?" Yoh said.

"Will it work though?" Amidamaru asked tentatively. "Wasn't Master Yohmei unable to do it at that time?"

"Only because he hesitated at the last moment. Without that, Hao's existence could have been erased. We're going back to make sure that it happens."

"And the Spiritual Sword? 1080? Why…?"

"For 100 success. Now…"

Manta heard no more as they discussed further. Although he already knew from the start, the conversation struck a chord in him as if it were new. _A mere human… high level of power… can't protect himself…_

He wasn't blaming his friends. They were right. He WAS nothing but a mere human in the end. What would he be able to do if he went back with them? Watch by the sidelines and cheer them on? That would work, and was appreciated, in the Shaman Fight, but not when it came to the final confrontation. Not with Hao.

_Humans cannot understand us shamans…_

Was Hao right, after all? Manta was always the one left bewildered at the decisions made by Yoh and his teammates. He could never understand the meaning or logic behind those choices without someone first explaining it beforehand to him. All of them were so… _mature_ and _wise_ in their own special ways. He? He constantly worried and panicked about things that were so common to them, and lectured Yoh on his carefree attitude more often than most people, when that had actually been Yoh's greatest strength.

He sunk down outside the door. It was a hard fact he had to accept – that Yoh's pillar of strength could not, and would never, come from him and him alone.

Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew out from under the door, rattling its hinges. Pulling out of his reverie, Manta realized that they must have started the spell. He instinctively reached for the door knob, but pulled back quickly. No interference. That was the best he could do to support them now.

"Damn," Ryu cursed, sounding tense. "What is it - ?"

The door burst open, and Manta was nearly hurled back by the furious winds. "MANTA!" the people cried in astonishment.

Manta couldn't have answered even if he wanted to. For a huge vortex had formed and was coming closer and closer to him, and he could only watch, as it drew nearer.

"Manta! MANTA!" Yoh's voice reached his ears, but only faintly. Swirling grey smoke surrounded him, and a gushing roar had enveloped his ears. He was strangely unafraid.

His last sight was of Yoh reaching out toward him slow motion, before his world went black.

_**END OF CHAPTER 1**_

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**Author's Note: Guess where Manta's headed to? XD I know this chapter was pretty boring, but it was necessary to show how exactly Manta got sent back, wasn't it? Hopefully, things will get more interesting with the later chapters.  
**

**And…please…REVIEW!! I'd really like to know if people are interested in the story or not, please let me know if there're any mistakes. It would greatly boost my morale to know people actually reading. :) **


	2. Chapter 2

**Through the Ages chpt 2**

**Presenting the second chapter to all. Thanks very much to all those who reviewed! Hope you enjoy the chapter, everyone. **

* * *

There was period of time when everything was just a blank in Manta's memory. When he did come to, the boy found himself staring up at a high, old-fashioned ceiling, with hushed voices penetrating his blurred mind. 

"_Sshh!_ He's awake, he's awake!"

"Have you regained your consciousness, boy?" an unfamiliar, feminine voice asked.

"I think so…" Manta replied groggily, staring ahead with half-opened eyes, until it hit him.

"Yoh!" he said loudly, and sat up so abruptly, that gasps ensued. It was then he realized that a few women dressed in simple traditional kimonos surrounded him, gazing at him as though he was not quite human.

"Err…sorry, but who are you?"

A demure, soft-spoken woman spoke up. "My name is Keiko. These are my other maids." The other women, looking no older than twenty, murmured their names, which Manta barely registered. "What about you?"

"Oyamada Manta. Where exactly am I?" he asked.

"In a chamber of the Fujiwara household," Keiko answered gently. "Do you remember what happened to you?"

"No, I… not really… I mean, I think I got sucked in a vortex…" Manta said, sounding confused.

He distinctly heard one of the maids muttering, "Delirious" to the woman beside her, and a soft remark of agreement, and kicked himself for saying the improbable – to normal humans, at least.

"You were found unconscious outside the front doors," Keiko informed him, sounding unsurprised. "One of my maids found you, and brought you in with your belongings," which drew his attention to his school bag resting in a corner.

Manta scratched his head absent-mindedly. Something was very strange.

"Where are you from then?" Keiko inquired.

"Where am I…?"

"From." From her sympathetic tone, it was easy to guess she thought Manta had lost his memory. "Do you reside in a foreign country? Your clothes are most strange." Her gaze turned onto his school uniform.

"I'm from Funbari Hill," Manta told her, a strange sixth sense telling him they would have no idea where he was referring to.

"Funbari?" the maid repeated slowly, as if learning a foreign language. "Is that a village in Heian-kyo?"

The last word struck Manta. "Heian-kyo?" he said hollowly.

"That's where you are now."

It was as if someone lit a fire in his head. Traditional Japanese garb, the old-fashioned structure of the room, the formal use of Japanese language. And Heian-kyo…

"Sorry, one more question. What exactly is the year?" When he received blank looks, he rephrased his question. "What age is this?"

"This is the Heian Period of Japan."

* * *

_How did I get myself into this mess?  
_

Manta was lying down on the futon after the maids had left, with the exception of Keiko keeping vigil outside his door, advising him to rest well. But Manta felt far from rested.

For some inexplicable reason, the spell had gone wrong and instead of sending his shaman friends back, it chose _him_and transported _him_ back a grand total of 1000 years. That was almost 500 years earlier than Faust's estimated time frame. He was completely alone in a strange time, with absolutely nothing but a bag of school accessories. Worse, he had no clue how to get back safely to the 20th century. These thoughts threatened to induce a wild panic which he had to try and fight down.

Manta wondered about Yoh and the others – were they frantically trying to bring him back, flipping through the ancient book for some sort of spell reversal? He had no one to turn to, no one to tell his bizarre story without him being condemned as terminally insane. The best he could hope for was to wait for Yoh and Anna to find some way to save him. _As usual, _a nasty little voice spoke in his head.

Unless…

Manta sat up straight for the second time. No matter the age, shamans were always present among human beings. If he could manage to meet a couple of them, then maybe they could help him!

Though that still left the problem of how he was going to recognize one. But Manta decided to leave that for later. In the meantime, he had to keep himself in this household as long as possible. He had no intention of being tossed out into the outside world, where diseases were rampant and bandits prowled around in broad daylight.

Furthermore, if this was the Fujiwara household, then maybe his chances of meeting a shaman would be higher. The Fujiwara clan was probably the most influential family of the Heian Period, and he had heard that diviners were often consulted by them, to defend their wealth against misfortune and evil spirits.

Feeling better now he had a plan (of sorts), Manta lay back down, trying to think of ways to keep himself safe in this estate. However, a distraction arrived at his door almost as soon as his head hit the hard pillow.

"Greetings to Your Ladyship, Lady Murasaki," Manta heard Keiko's voice fall into respectful tones outside his door.

The door opened to reveal the dark silhouette to be a tall, imposing, white-skinned young woman, with thick black tresses of hair that was so long, it trailed along the floor. Dressed in vibrant, contrasting colours of the _junihitoe_ (Manta remembered the term in his history class), the lady was certainly an intimidating presence. She wasn't alone though. Two ladies-in-waiting with pinched black eyebrows and pale-white complexion accompanied her, their heads bowed slightly.

Manta, on the other hand, merely looked up at her with his eyes wide. Apparently, the woman did not appreciate this, for she said, "Has the boy forgotten even how to address his superiors?"

Keiko immediately intervened. "I apologise, my lady – the boy does not seem to be a local, and therefore does not know the customs. And it was negligence on my part not to inform him of your arrival."

"Er… It's a…pleasure to meet you?" His attempt at proper address came out as more of a question. "My lady," he quickly added.

"Hm." Much to the little blonde's thankfulness, Lady Murasaki seemed to have set aside her displeasure. "You come from a foreign land, boy?"

"My name is Oyamada Manta, milady," Manta said, quickly getting up, then settled into a short bow. "And yes, I come from – er – Funbari Hill. It's a remote place in…Timbuktu." Inwardly he went red with embarrassment. _Timbuktu?!_ His mind screamed.

"And yet you speak our language? Well, I must say I'm impressed," Lady Murasaki remarked, not looking impressed at all. In fact, she fixed Manta with a piercing gaze that was nearly as worthy of Anna's.

"I'm a pretty fast learner," Manta countered weakly. "I picked it up when I came here. You know, from the peasants and lots of practice."

"I see." Lady Murasaki looked at him for a few seconds, and then relaxed her stare, much to his relief. "Well, you can tell us all about yourself later on during the Moon Viewing festival. Why don't you come down to the gardens later on? I'm sure Father will be interested to hear all about you."

"O-of course," Manta stammered.

"I'll be expecting you then, Manta." Without another word, Lady Murasaki turned gracefully on her heel and exited the room.

* * *

All in all, the Moon Viewing festival had been an interesting and a rather wonderful experience so far, albeit a little frightening. When Manta entered the well-kept gardens with Keiko at night, many heads turned in their direction and gazed at the short little boy wearing strange clothing. Thoroughly intimidated, Manta tried not to notice them and settled onto the grass (with autumn leaves scattered all over the place) overlooking a beautiful lake, beside what seemed to be several lords and ladies. 

Quite a number of these people started eagerly questioning Manta about his clothes and his country. He quickly made up some story about fainting from hunger, and repeated the same thing as he had told Lady Murasaki. He gradually started to relax when he started revealing bits of 1000-year older Japan under the façade of the land of Timbuktu. He left out the machines and airplanes and computers though – there was a line to be drawn between refreshing and insane.

Lady Murasaki's father, Lord Michinaga, was head of the Fujiwara family, and thus unsurprisingly wielded immense power and authority. He was treated with respect and reverence by his courtiers, but none seemed to truly like him, as Manta definitely heard some mutterings about his high-and-mighty, overbearing ways. There was, however, a sharp glint in those eyes of Lord Michinaga that seemed to radiate intelligence, and Manta sensed this would be someone difficult to fool.

But the Lord appeared to accept Manta's story - on the surface at least - but he and the other nobles seemed horrified when Manta told him that use of poetry was rare in his country. Manta had only managed to recite a few of Shakespeare verses when asked. They were also astonished at the mention of his age (his height greatly undermined him), and Manta had to fight back his annoyance.

Fortunately, food and sake were soon served. Manta was allowed to eat with the nobles, while the other children, servant or of nobles, were let out of the estate. Manta learned that they were to go collect treats like rice balls from other homes, reminding him of the Halloween season. He spent the rest of the time enjoying the food, admiring the fullness of the moon (it was never that clear in the 20th century), hearing the aristocrats' poetic verses, watching them compare the quality of their poetry, and explaining all about Halloween to the lords and ladies, and the attendants too.

The Emperor himself was also present, sitting on a dais, and had startled Manta at first, for he could not have been over 10 years old. But the shock was not great, having heard of such customs in many ancient countries. Manta was beginning to feel rather overwhelmed by all the grandeur, and was still questioning his sanity, until performers started to dance and play music on the curious-looking instruments. He was unable to name many of them, other than the bamboo flute, but shared his knowledge of the piano and violin with Lord Michinaga and the other aristocrats.

Manta was really starting to enjoy himself when he heard Lord Michinaga call out: "Ah! Hao! Since when did you arrive?"

Manta choked on his sashimi, and momentarily froze up. Luckily, the other nobles didn't seem to notice for their attention was drawn to a certain someone behind Manta, someone whom he was sure he'd NEVER want to face...

"I have just arrived, Your Lordship. I apologise for my tardiness." The voice was gentle and calm, yet Manta could tell it was from a male.

Not to mention it sounded rather familiar.

Manta turned to face him and, although already knowing who it was, had to stifle a small gasp. A man wearing a court hat, with long greyish-black hair flowing below it, clad in court robes, stood before him before settling down onto the grass.

"Hao, this is Oyamada Manta," Lord Michinaga said. "He joined us upon curious circumstances, which I'll explain later. Manta, this is Asakura Hao, and be sure to address him with due respect. He is held in high regard among the Fujiwara and the Imperial Court."

Asakura Hao turned his eyes upon the boy in front of him. "It's a pleasure to meet you…Manta."

For a moment, Manta could've sworn something flash across those calm orbs. Confusion? Curiosity? Or perhaps…intrigue? Whatever it was, it didn't appear to be threatening, and that gave Manta a bit more courage.

"It's nice to meet you too, Hao-sama," Manta greeted respectfully.

Hao smiled, and it wasn't the sinister smirk or grin that Manta saw all too often. It was warm, kind, and yet, the young boy thought he could feel a certain sadness coming from that smile.

Manta himself managed a half-smile, and turned back to the performance. His mind was completely elsewhere, though, and drowned out the laughter and talk around him.

What do you do when you meet a thousand-year-younger enemy who has no recollection of you whatsoever?

* * *

**Author's Note: One question: Do people in the Heian Period address the year numerically? I don't know if they referred to the year in numbers or if they already named their era as the Heian. Bleh. Really sorry if I made a mistake... Oh well. Review! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Sorry for the delay everyone… Last-minute holiday homework. –scowls- But I finally churned chapter 3 out, at last. **

**Disclaimer: Forgot to put it in the last chapter… I do not own Shaman King. Obviously.**

* * *

Over the next 2 days, Manta spent a lot of time worrying – not that it wasn't already his habit – and thinking. He hadn't seen Hao ever since the Moon Viewing festival, and although he tried to convince himself it was all the better, he couldn't pretend that his sense of security had stabilized.

All through the remainder of the festival, Manta had pretended to be fascinated by the dancers, and yet he couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Hao and Lord Michinaga, as well as a handful of other aristocrats. Everyone seemed to pay as much as respect to him as Lord Michinaga, perhaps even more, judging by their awed whispers. The onmyoji had responded graciously to their praises, but did not appear to particularly enjoy it, much unlike his boisterous peers.

In fact, Manta had the strangest feeling that the revered man was watching him a couple of times when there were lulls in chatter, but didn't dare to see for himself. He had resolutely fixed his gaze on the moon when Lord Michinaga was passing on his story to Hao, and hoped his face had not gone too red.

Although Hao had sympathized lightly with Manta's plight, the blonde had the impression that Hao had not been fooled. This, of course, only caused him to gulp even more.

And yet, he couldn't help but notice how…_human_ the onmyoji had seemed. There was nothing about this Hao to suggest anything even remotely threatening. No arrogance, no murderous instinct, and most of all, no despise of the human race.

Did this show how much change could do to a person?

Right now, Manta was walking aimlessly in the gardens under the early morning sunshine, the household still quiet and asleep, with Keiko behind him. It was the first time he had really looked at the entire manor, and so far, he was awed. The gardens were beautiful too, with the colourful autumn leaves lay scattered all around, and the slow ripple of the lake from a gentle breeze.

"Do you enjoy the scenery, Manta?" Keiko asked.

"What? Oh yeah… I never really did get to see this sort of thing back at home, you see," Manta responded enthusiastically.

Curiosity flitted across Keiko's face. "Did you not? What is there, then?"

_Uh-oh._"Well, there _is_ scenery… But they're mostly just trees and grass, and during spring-time we get to see flowers… that's all." That was the closest thing to the truth without mentioning skyscrapers.

"Well, you should see the estate during spring-time then," Keiko said, looking pleased at his appreciation. "When the cherry blossoms start to bloom, it is truly a spectacular sight."

"I'm sure it is." Manta vaguely remembered the cherry blossom viewing in 20th century Japan, when his father had taken him and his family for some sort of work function. That was before he met Yoh, and before his life became revolved entirely around getting top grades…

They proceeded on in a comfortable silence, feeling neither pressure nor any sense of emergency. _It'll be so nice if everyday was like this…_ Manta mused. _Nothing to panic about…nothing to worry about… _The utter peace drove even the problem of getting back home out of his mind at the moment. _Yoh would like it so much here… _

"It's nice, isn't it?"

Manta nearly fell off the small bridge he was crossing, and would've gone straight into the lake if a firm hand had not grabbed him in time.

"Manta, are you all right?" Keiko's worried voice approached him.

"Y-yes, I'm fine," Manta stammered, and looked up at the person holding him firmly by the arm. He swallowed.

Asakura Hao looked down at him, and for all his voluminous robes and tall stance, his eyes were twinkling in what seemed to be amusement. "That's good," he said pleasantly. "Did I startle you that much?"

Manta felt as if his face was on fire. "No," he replied automatically. When Hao raised an eyebrow, he smiled weakly. "Well, actually, yes, I wasn't really expecting anyone else here…"

"I'm sorry about that," Hao apologized, as he released Manta. "I was just wondering who was up so early. Not many people would wish to awaken at this time."

"I couldn't get to sleep," Manta said honestly. "And I found Keiko-san awake too, so she came with me."

"Good morning, Hao-sama," Keiko greeted, bending into a short bow.

"Good morning, Keiko," Hao replied politely. "You did a splendid job in preparing the Moon Viewing festival. I hear that Lord Michinaga and his ministers are saying that everything was entirely up to standard."

Perhaps it was Manta's overactive imagination, but he could've sworn he saw a slight tinge of red appear on Keiko's face as she nodded gratefully at the praise.

"You couldn't sleep either?" Manta asked, unable to think of anything else to say. He had by no means let down his guard, no matter how harmless this Hao appeared to be, and was determined to keep to safe topics.

"I'm just an early riser," Hao said lightly. "Did you enjoy the festival?"

"Very much, thanks."

"Lord Michinaga seems to be very interested with you, Manta." Hao raised an intricately-designed fan and tapped it casually against his shoulder. "So do the other nobles, for that matter – not that I blame them of course."

"Er – do they?" _ Too interested for my liking._

"Although they must appear too interested for your liking," Hao remarked. "You seemed a little uptight about all the attention you were getting two nights ago, if you don't mind me saying."

Manta stared, and then shook himself. The emotions on his face were just always woefully easy to read, that's all.

"Well, I don't dress like them," Manta mumbled. "I don't look like them either."

"Strangely though, they don't hold that against you," Hao responded. "The Fujiwara, and many others, usually take immense care in their appearances as well as their peers' – especially the ladies, really."

"Women always freak out over how they look," Manta commented dryly.

Hao laughed at that, and it struck Manta how carefree that sound was, so very much like the modern-day Asakura Hao. "I suppose they do. But please do remember we have a woman in our presence, so take note of what you're saying."

Manta started, realising that he had almost forgotten about the young maid. "S-sorry, Keiko-san! I'm not saying you're vain or anything, but well, it's normal for girls to care about whether they're pretty or not, not that I'm saying you aren't of course…" Manta gabbled on.

"I'm not offended, Manta," Keiko reassured him, smiling faintly, trying not to let her amusement slip out. Hao, on the other hand, was chuckling at the blonde's exaggerated ramblings, which was erupting in torrents.

"It appears that women are not the only ones who panic as much," Hao laughed. "Relax, Manta. Keiko is not that petty."

"No, no, she's not…" Manta trailed away, subsiding almost as fast as he began, by now feeling extremely self-conscious. _Why_ did he always have to lose it?

Hao leant against the wooden railings of the bridge. "You don't really have to feel embarrassed by their curiosity, though. They do quite like you."

"Really?" Manta asked hopefully.

"Really. In fact," Another grin spread across his face. "- some of the ladies are saying you resemble a cute, oversized kitten."

"I resemble a _what_?" Manta sounded revolted.

"No need to look like that. They're paying you a compliment."

"But,_an oversized kitten_? Do I really look like one?"

"That's what they think, apparently," Hao said. "What say you, Keiko?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Manta could see Keiko considering him._Don't you dare, Keiko-san…_

"I agree, Hao-sama," Keiko confirmed, in all earnestness.

The residents who were already stirring could hear the distant laughter of two people who often never let out such merry sounds.

* * *

_Well, so much for not letting __down my guard,_ Manta thought wryly. Throughout most of the exchange in the gardens, he had not really been thinking about safeguarding himself against the future pyromaniac, although he definitely wasn't stupid enough to trust him wholeheartedly.

But really, Manta pondered, was this how the original Hao was like? If so, what on earth had happened to alter his view on humans so drastically? Had there some life-changing incident that had angered this kindly man to the point of wiping every single human off the planet?

_Or_, the same nasty voice that plagued him 2 days ago said, _he was just trying to gain your trust. Because he knows. _

Know what? What – _how_ – could Hao possibly know all about him?

Ridding himself of unnecessary thoughts, Manta tried to focus on his meal. He was eating with several of the residents inside the Fujiwara dining chamber, along with Lady Murasaki and her ladies-in-waiting. There, Manta was introduced to several other people, which included the other children of Lord Michinaga.

Lady Murasaki had four other sisters, all of whom were extremely talkative and friendly towards their new guest. Manta quite liked them, although they seemed a tad too fond of treating him like a five-year-old kid. Or a really a cute pet.

Throughout the meal, he couldn't help but compare the vast contrast between Lady Murasaki and her sisters. While her siblings were vivacious and fond of conversation, Murasaki was quiet – although by no means boring. When the talk had somehow turned to languages and religion, Lady Murasaki had displayed much knowledge of the subject, and impressed everyone – including Manta – by some of her views. Here was a woman who certainly inherited her father's piercing intelligence, and the men at the table whispered of her outstanding education, which was truly worthy of a court lady. But for some reason, Manta couldn't bring himself to like her as much as her sisters – she seemed too cold and calculating for his liking.

He also met the three sons of Lord Michinaga, one of whom he knew as Yorimichi. It was he who had made the most impression on Manta, for he exuded charm and elegance, much to the ladies' admiration. It was clear that he too, possessed desirable knowledge. He composed exceptional poetic verses with much ease, answering each verse by the other men almost immediately. This won him much favour with men and women alike.

"By the way," Manta overheard a woman beside him saying to another. "How are the wedding preparations coming along?"

"Fine, I suppose. It's still due in three months' time," the other woman answered, shrugging.

"Wedding preparations?" Manta couldn't help inquiring.

"Oh, you're new here, so you don't know… The eldest daughter is going to be married into the royal family in a few months' time," the woman replied. Manta followed her gaze to the head of the table, where a pretty young woman was laughing along with another sister.

"To the Emperor?" Manta couldn't imagine how someone could marry a boy who wasn't even in his teens yet.

"Oh no," an elderly woman in front of him contradicted. "To the Prince Ichijo, the eldest son of the royal family. It is he who is taking place the place of the young emperor in the final decision-making."

"Not Lord Michinaga?"

"He controls the affairs of state, of course, but it is the Emperor who decides to give his approval or not," the old lady answered. "But yes, it's true that it's still Fujiwara no Michinaga who really wields the supreme power, not the Emperor."

"Prince Ichijo is a good match for Lady Akiko," a younger woman remarked.

"Well, I say it is really Lady Murasaki who should marry," the old lady said firmly but quietly, careful not to let the eldest daughter hear. "Her intelligence will prove beneficial for the royalty."

"But Prince Ichijo has set his sights only on Lady Akiko, and says he will only marry her…"

"Does it really matter? As long as a daughter of the Fujiwara marries into the royal family, the Fujiwara reign will flourish for sure…"

Manta tuned out the remaining conversation, and sneaked a glance at Lady Murasaki. He was quite startled by the icy look on her face, which had been somehow sharpened. Was it because she had overheard their discussion?

As though feeling eyes on her, Lady Murasaki quickly turned her gaze onto Manta, who then dropped his head and started stuffing rice into his mouth.

* * *

It was already evening when Manta ran into Hao again, this time in the corridors.

"Good evening," Hao greeted formally. "Are you going back to your room?"

"Yes I am," Manta replied, straightening himself unconsciously. "Keiko-san asked me to prepare myself before going down for another gathering – to listen to court music or something."

"I'm going down there too," Hao said. He looked rather weary at the prospect.

"Are you tired?"

Hao looked uncharacteristically taken aback at the question, and Manta tensed up immediately. But the look went away quickly, and the onmyoji relaxed into a small smile. "I am, actually. But I've promised to be at the gathering tonight, so there's no escape, I'm afraid." He laughed ruefully.

"Why are you tired, anyway? Did something happen?" Manta asked in concern, despite himself.

"I had to attend a meeting at the royal assembly earlier," Hao replied. "It lasted for quite a while– all kinds of disputes to settle." Disappointment and disapproval seemed to linger on his face.

Manta had seen that kind of look on his father's face before, perhaps after dealing with difficult clients, and interruptions at work. "Maybe you should go and rest first," Manta suggested.

"Thank you, Manta," Hao said. "But the royal family has requested to see me soon."

Manta frowned. "That sounds rough."

"It can't be helped. I'll see you later, Manta."

"Later then." With that, Manta turned and jogged to his room, his feet padding against the wooden flooring. He didn't see Hao watching after him thoughtfully until he turned a corner and disappeared.

It was a good thing no one was around, because the moment Manta opened the door, he exclaimed loudly in shock. For several strange-looking creatures were roving around on the floor, as well as transparent spectres hovering at the ceiling. It took a few seconds for Manta to recognize the specters as spirits.

"You can see us, boy?" a ghost in the form of an old man asked, peering down curiously.

"Y-yes," Manta nodded.

"That's rare," another ghost, a young child, commented. "The ones who can usually see us are shamans, like Hao-sama."

_Hao-sama?__So these ghosts know Hao too…_

"Do you know Hao-sama as well?" the child addressed Manta.

"I do," Manta admitted.

"Well, that's a stupid question, huh, everyone does. But you're not a shaman, are you?" Manta shook his head no.

"All right, all right, let's go now," the old man said firmly. "The gathering is starting soon, and I don't like the noise… Goodbye, young man."

"Goodbye." The ghosts and the strange creatures then left the room in a swoop of mist – save for one. A small, white, jelly-like rabbit was staring up at Manta curiously. Although its eyes were weirdly distorted, Manta found the little creature quite cute.

"Hello," Manta said, bending down and patting its head. "My name's Manta." He wondered if the creature could even understand him.

The creature seemed to enjoy the attention, and started rubbing against Manta's hand. Manta couldn't help laughing slightly.

Unknown to either of them, a pair of eyes filled with malice was peeking through the door before disappearing.

* * *

_**END OF CHAPTER 3**_

**Author's Note: Quite a bit of Hao and Manta interaction in this chapter… I'm trying not to introduce too many characters or revealing too much info at once. I'm already having a headache**** after typing this... Sheesh. And the last part will have quite a huge bearing on the story later on. Just so you know… **

**Usual, usual…let me know if there're any mistakes. REVIEW! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**I'm back. At last. Sorry to all those who were kept waiting. My tablet PC had a virus…In fact, I think there's still some Trojan or spyware lurking about unseen. –glares- For those who don't know, there's been a MSN virus going around, where one of your contacts will send you a message (as programmed by the virus) saying, "Hey, is this your picture?" and will send you a link. If you click on the link and save the "picture", ta-da! You have a virus attached to your comp. I was stupid enough to fall for it. I thought it was my church friend sending me the message. :( So take care.**

* * *

Once again, the performance and overall décor was splendid, despite the gathering being supposedly a casual one. This time, Keiko came down with Manta and joined the rest of the household commonfolk. The rich sounds of people talking and laughing echoed off the chamber walls, together with the scent of food and drink in the air. Manta was perched on a roughly-cut stool, swinging his short legs back and forth absent-mindedly. 

He peered through the crowd and spotted Hao seated among who could only be the other onmyoji. They were clearly given the space of enormous prestige, especially Hao, who appeared to be the head of the ten other monks. At his side were the highest-ranking Fujiwara members, including Lord Michinaga and his children.

Hao didn't seem to notice him, being deeply immersed in conversation with Lord Michinaga. The exchange didn't look like a jovial one to Manta, at least on Hao's part. He couldn't hear what they were talking about above the noise level, but Lord Michinaga did look pleased about something. Hao, apparently, felt different, as a whisper of a dark shadow passed across his gentle face. Manta doubted anyone other than him noticed though, especially Michinaga, who was far too immersed in his own happiness. However, the onmyoji tried to clear his expression as quickly as it appeared, and replaced it with a small smile as he muttered words back to Lord Michinaga.

"It is not usual, is it?" a maid said to Keiko beside him. "A gathering so soon after such a big festival?"

"I don't know," Keiko answered. "It's rare that everyone in this house is here for such a normal occasion. Look, even Michinaga-sama and the other Asakura members are here."

The last sentence pulled Manta out of his reverie with a massive jolt. "_Who _is here?" he asked quickly, eyes wide.

Keiko looked taken aback at his urgency, but answered him nevertheless. "Michinaga-sama and the Asakura family. They're the onmyoji under Hao-sama's charge – though of course, there are other Asakuras excluding them."

"Eh?" Manta stared at the ten diviners, and blinked several times. There, right in front of him, were Yoh's great-great-great-great ancestors.

Then that would mean…

"Is there anything wrong?" Keiko inquired quizzically.

"N-nothing, nothing…"

Fortunately, he was interrupted by the hush that had suddenly settled onto the noisy crowd. Manta was confused for only a moment, before a line of finely-dressed people entered the room.

They certainly had an air of great dominance about them, with their heads held high and backs stiffly straight. Their unexpected entrance stunned the crowd into silence, but very soon, whispers were heard all over the place.

"It's the _royal family?_"

"What are they doing here?"

"Dunno…"

"Royal family?" Manta gasped. "Why are they here?"

"They're perhaps why we were all called in," Keiko replied, staring.

At the head of line was a handsome young man, who stood before Lord Michinaga as he raised himself off the seat to exchange a few delighted greetings with the man.

"Everyone," Lord Michinaga boomed, looking more pleased than ever. "I have great news to share with all of you. You are all perhaps wondering for the reason for this gathering. Well, it is my enormous pleasure to announce that the impending marriage of my eldest daughter, Akiko, to the esteemed Prince Ichijo will be brought forward. Their wedding is to be held in one month's time instead of the original three."

The momentary amazement quickly gave way to loud cheering and excited talk that was practically buzzing from person to person. "A month!" several women near Manta squealed.

"I don't believe it!"

"Oh, I do hope we'll have enough time to prepare…"

"What about the betrothal gifts?"

Lord Michanga, looking satisfied with the reception of the news, raised his hand. Immediately, everyone fell silent.

It wasn't him who spoke next though. "I am very pleased," Prince Ichijo said, smiling. "And very proud as well. It's my great fortune to be able to marry Lady Akiko." As he said it, he turned his face upward towards the beautiful lady, who appeared close to tears of happiness as she took her cue and stepped down to join hands with Prince Ichijo.

Another cheer went up, louder and more triumphant than before. Everyone clapped wildly, and began chattering all at once.

"It's great, isn't it?" Manta said to Keiko happily. Unlike many arranged marriages among nobility he heard of before, Prince Ichijo's and Lady Akiko's one seemed to be that of true love, and Manta couldn't stop a grin from forming on his face.

In his delight, Manta failed to notice the ill-concealed distaste on a certain lady's face, which she tried hard to hide with a tight-lipped smile. The onmyoji, however, was far more observant and closed his eyes in resignation.

No one noticed a small smirk forming across another different individual's lips either.

* * *

Amidst all the distractions, Manta had nearly forgotten about how strange he was considered in this Heian-era aristocratic fortress. His memory was renewed when he finally started to notice the many other people giving him curious stares at his clothes as people filtered out of the chamber after the gathering.

The next day, Manta woke up to vigorous hustle and bustle, as gaudily-wrapped packages were being sent to and fro. Scraps of fabric were being drawn out, different _junihitoes_ were being tailored (much to the ladies' delight)and excited girls chattered non-stop about the upcoming wedding.

The blonde finally managed to wrench himself from the big hoo-ha that was being made by the Fujiwara sisters at breakfast, and walked on briskly – until he realised that he had no idea where he was going.

Mentally smacking himself, Manta tried to find Keiko for directions, but amongst the unfathomable increase in residents roaming the corridors, she seemed to have mysteriously disappeared. _She's probably down in the kitchens or somewhere hidden, _Manta thought with a grimace.

So he had no choice but to ask the people passing by, which was easier said than done, as none seemed to have the time to even look at him (for once), let alone to let him talk.

Manta finally managed to gather together the scraps of information, and headed to where the Asakuras were supposed to reside in. Many had looked at him strangely when Manta asked them about their location, as the Asakura family, although respected, were generally left alone by everyone except in times of counselling and duress.

Gradually, quietness began to take over the rushed noises as Manta made his way through a more deserted section. Manta began to rehearse what he was going to say.

_Ummm… Excuse me, but I'm in kind of a pinch right now – _all the while imagining a towering, faceless figure – _You see, I was brought back 1000 years earlier, which is why I'm dressed like this. Could you please send me back to my own time? _

Even to himself, the words sounded crazy.

Manta sighed. "Turn a left...at the rose bushes…" he muttered to himself, concentrating on his pace.

"What is a little boy doing here?" a voice soft and small asked, as if merely muttering to itself.

Manta stopped dead and turned sharply at the unexpected voice. But all he saw was…a cat.

Ah, a cat.

"You mean you can hear me?" the cat said, eyes blinking in astonishment.

But the astonishment the cat had shown was nothing compared to Manta's reaction. "A…a…a…c-c-cat! NEKO! _Cat is talking_!" he shrieked, jumping almost a foot in the air.

"Please calm down, boy," the cat replied, annoyed. "Is this really your first time hearing a cat talk?"

"What are you – I never - Gods, of course I've never heard a cat talk! Don't act like it's, it's, it's _normal_ or anything!" Manta sputtered.

The cat, with its brownish fur and sharply-pointed ears, scrutinized Manta closely from its position on the sill. "You are not a shaman?"

The blonde blinked, temporarily put out. "S-shaman? No, I'm not."

"But you can see spirits?"

"Yeah…" Manta's voice trailed off as realisation dawned on him. "You mean, you're a spirit too?"

"No."

A blink. "Er…I know! A demon?"

"No."

"Fairy?"

"NO."

"Then what are you?"

"A cat."

"_I know that!_" Manta screeched, losing control all over again. "Why are you…you…"

"Talking?"

For the third time in two days, Manta nearly got another heart attack.

"H-hao…" Manta replied weakly, forgetting to add the honorific after his name.

The onmyoji looked at the blonde lying on his bottom with an expression akin to surprise. "I didn't know you can see spirits, Manta."

Manta rubbed his hair, trying to steady his breathing rate. "Y-yes, but only after I met…someone. I haven't always been able to see them until I was 13."

"This is so?" Hao said thoughtfully.

"Hmm." Manta looked over to the strange animal, frowning.

Hao apparently noticed this, for he chuckled and said, "Ah, so sorry. I forgot to introduce the two of you. Manta, this is Matamune. Matamune, Manta."

The cat, Matamune, rose from its comfortable position and bowed. "Pleasure to meet you, Manta."

"Er, yeah, nice to meet you too," Manta replied, a little taken aback by the polite greeting. "So…what exactly are you?"

"I am a Goryoushin," Matamune intoned, raising his head to meet Manta's gaze.

"Goryoushin?"

"They're a special type of spirit that is employed by onmyoji to guard them against other spirits who seek to do harm against them," Hao explained. "Matamune is, technically, dead already. But his spirit has been converted to a Goryoushin, who protects me."

Manta registered the information as he nodded in understanding, but upon closer inspection, he realised something was off. "But if Matamune is a spirit - " he said. " – how come he looks so…solid?"

"Thanks to this." Matamune gestured with a furry paw to his neck, where Manta noticed, for the first time, a necklace resembling a bear's claw, was hanging. "Hao-sama has imbedded his furyoku – if you know what it is – into this necklace that gives me a solid body. This is why my spirit will not disappear."

"Oh…I didn't know that. I always thought furyoku was only used for battle purposes," Manta said.

Hao tilted his head slightly to consider Manta. "Do you have any shaman friends?"

Manta hesitated. But this truth couldn't hurt. "Yeah," he finally admitted. "I do. All I've seen them do is fight with their furyoku, you know, for, um, matches." _ Matches in the Shaman Fight. The Fight that you wanted to win to eliminate all humans like myself. _ Manta had to suppress a shudder as he unwittingly reminded himself who he was actually talking to.

Something resembling confusion crossed Hao's eyes again, so small and quick that Manta barely noticed it.

"You are brave," Hao said suddenly.

"Huh?"

Hao smiled a smile so tender, yet at the same time, so regretful, more apparent than the first time Manta saw him in the Heian Period. "Many humans don't wish to have anything to do with shamans, much less befriend them. Weren't you frightened, especially since you only saw ghosts at 13 years old?"

"Haha," the blonde laughed sheepishly, scratching his head. "I was, at first. I saw them surrounding my friend at a graveyard the first time I met him, and I ran away. And then, after that, I saw my friend again the next day, and you know what? He said he didn't know me at all!"

"A lot of people made fun of me, saying it was my imagination running wild, and I followed him to take photos – I mean, get evidence that I wasn't crazy or anything – then one thing led to another, I got myself beat up by thugs, but in the end, he saved me from them, you know, using Spirit Possession. I kind of followed him around after that."

Silence followed this revelation, and the blonde started fidgeting after a while. Manta had the most uncomfortable feeling he had said too much.

_Manta… you idiot…_ What if Hao started asking awkward questions about this friend?

He needn't have worried about that. "So, what are you doing here?" Hao asked.

Awkward…but not what he expected.

"Ah," Manta said, brought up short. He had almost forgotten the reason he was there in the first place.

"Well, I uh…I was looking for the Asakuras."

Hao raised his eyebrows. "Really? Why?"

"…It's going to sound crazy," Manta winced.

Hao waved a hand in dismissal. "Almost all cases brought up to the Asakura family are. Try me."

"Will you believe me if I said I come 1000 years from the future?"

Another silence followed, more prolonged and somehow ridiculously blank. As Manta tried to study Hao's reaction, he could finally appreciate his classmates' disbelief when he first told them of seeing ghosts. But the difference was that this was also a shaman he was facing, and the question Manta posed made far more sense than if told to another ordinary human being.

"Yes, I would," Hao replied simply.

Surprisingly, it didn't strike Manta as strange that Hao would accept the situation with such relative ease. The truth was, Manta had long thought of this man as an unshockable being, that showing mundane feelings such as surprise would come across as uncharacteristic.

"Would you care to explain?" Hao asked gently.

"I – I don't think I can."

"All right." Hao let the matter drop as easily as Yoh would have. "It will take time… but I will try to help return you to your own time."

"Really? You will? Oh, thank you! Thanks so much!" Manta exclaimed gratefully, his words coming out in torrents as he clapped his hands together in delight. So great was his joy at the prospect of finally returning to Yoh and the others, that he almost forgot about his fear towards the pyromaniac – or at least, as he was known a millennium later. "See you later then!" With that rather abrupt and cheery parting, he jogged off in the opposite direction.

The onmyoji and Matamune stared after the tiny retreating figure. "Such a strange boy," Matamune commented. The cat turned to his master after a moment, for Hao had not replied.

"Do you believe his story about being from the future, Hao-sama?" Matamune asked curiously. "Because it is – well, almost impossible, for a mere human boy to travel through time."

"He is telling the truth," Hao answered softly. "No liar would use such an incredulous excuse."

Matamune gazed at the onmyoji for a few seconds. "Well, you would know. That power of yours sees everything."

"A double-edged sword indeed," Hao remarked sadly, as his face contorted into a mixture of grief and almost hatred. "But not everything, Matamune."

"That boy – Manta – everything about him is so easy to read, but there are times – many of them – that I cannot look into his mind," Hao explained in reply to the cat's inquiring glance. Hao turned to sit on the ledge beside Matamune. "Perhaps it is something to do with the passage of time he travelled through."

Matamune cocked his head. "If I may say so," he began respectfully. "You seem remarkably interested in that boy. And it's not entirely just to do with time travel, is it?"

"He brings a certain sense of peace to me, and yet, I feel he knows something about me that even I do not know," Hao sighed, closing his eyes. "I do not appreciate that."

"I do agree with the last part," Matamune remarked dryly. "But a sense of peace? His earlier screeching belies that statement."

Opening his eyes, Hao laughed. "What I mean is, he has a good soul. He doesn't seek to benefit from the high ranks, nor does he think of taking advantage of anyone, even though he's in favour with Lord Michinaga. His innocence isn't likely to be corrupted."

"It's so much unlike from what you're used to, isn't it?" It wasn't a question. "Hao-sama."

As though not wishing to dwell on it, Hao stood up. "It is precisely because of what torments…so many other spirits, that I will do my best to help the boy." He started to walk back to his own quarters. "Or he will soon be caught up in the coming, or already ongoing, power struggle. He will not be safe here."

"What will happen to the boy if he doesn't leave, Hao-sama?" Matamune called after him.

"Enjoy the sunshine, Matamune," Hao said, not answering his question at all. Before the cat could press the matter further – not that he didn't know it would be futile – the onmyoji vanished.

Matamune sighed and stared down at the wooden tiling. He knew his master would never admit his own daily torture of his soul so openly, not even to his closest confidant. Sometimes, he wondered if he was doing enough for the man who had earned his full respect and trust. He wondered if he was enough of a friend.

But as much as he cared for his master, did Hao trust _him_? Matamune felt deeply ashamed that he was demanding any more of the person who had saved him from those dark days on the death-ridden streets, and took care of him afterward. But he often found himself wishing Hao would learn to rely on him more, and confide more of his problems to him. He felt so worthless at times, when he couldn't help share the burden the onmyoji had been carrying for so long, even after receiving Hao's graciousness on many, many acounts. Life had not been kind to Asakura Hao, and its inflictions had left him scarred and unable to trust.

_How can I help him?_

Briefly, the cat thought if only there was someone willing to be Hao's friend – perhaps that someone could do what Matamune could not, to ease the misery Hao went through each and every single day at the expense of that accursed power.

* * *

Night had already fallen, and many had retired to their rooms after an exhausting day of activity. At the moment, Manta was sleeping peacefully on his futon. 

That could not be said about the two figures lingering on the outskirts of the forest near the Fujiwara household.

"Well," an annoyed voice belonging to that of Yorimichi, the charming man Manta had met the day before. "You have called me from my greatly-needed sleep at this desolate and dangerous hour. What do you require of me, Onee-san?"

"Don't 'Onee-san' me," Lady Murasaki hissed, her eyes gleaming. "You know perfectly well why you're here."

Yorimichi sighed in mock disappointment. "Onee-san, listen to me." The respectful title came out more as playful and mocking. "It was not my intention to hasten the wedding of our eldest sister. You should know that Father has the ultimate power to make decisions – for now at least." The sneer across his lips became more pronounced than ever.

"And yet you are not doing a single thing about it," Murasaki said angrily. "I have told you a dozen times before, that marrying Prince Ichijo is my trump card to gaining recognition with the royal family and the whole of Heian-Kyo! A month, Yorimichi, a month! That is how much time I have left until my foolish sister takes away the place I so rightfully deserve! Here I am, doing my best to help you on your way to the ruling position, and you are doing nothing for our agreement."

"Doing nothing?" At last, the smirk on Yorimichi's face gave way to displeasure that matched his sister's. "If I were to try anything that was able to catch anyone's – including your own – attention, our father would immediately smell a rat. Surely you know he is no fool? You should understand that clearly, since it's said your brainpower is inherited from our father."

"Were I to do nothing, I would not be able to reach the top without your assistance," he continued. "I know this well, Murasaki! Do you think I will dare renege on our promise?"

A moment or two passed without words after this proclamation. Finally, Lady Murasaki spoke. "Very well," she said in clipped tones. "I will believe you this time. My connections with the ministers assisting our eldest brother, who is to be heir to the Fujiwara family, is well on its way. However, it is proving…difficult for some to agree to the deviation from tradition. Many of them fear Father's wrath if they were to support you."

"Of course they would," Yorimichi scoffed. "Which is why I'm no longer aiming for our brother's place. To overthrow Father would be best shortcut there is."

"You make it sound so easy," Murasaki said disdainfully. "How on earth are you going to do that?"

Yorimichi smiled. "Ah, fortunately, there is one way."

"Oh?"

"The boy. Oyamada Manta, that's what he's called, isn't he?"

Murasaki raised a delicate eyebrow. "Him? How useful can he be?"

"By using him, we can ensure my way to the ruling power, and your marriage to Prince Ichijo at the same time."

"Explain."

Yorimichi leant in slightly. "Because," he whispered conspiratorally, despite no one being around. "He can see demons, Onee-san."

_**END OF CHAPTER 4**_

* * *

**Author's Note: Why do I get the feeling I was rambling far too much… Long, long chapter... Anyway,****Matamune appears! I think most of you know he's only shown in the manga… He was a cat that was saved by Hao from the streets and was his only friend at that time. Until, of course, Hao fell into insanity and Matamune had no choice but to help kill him. The part about Goryoushin is also taken from the manga. **

**I'll be revealing more of Yorimichi's and Murasaki's plot in later chapters. I only mentioned him briefly in chapter 3, so for those who didn't catch it – Yorimichi is one of the sons of Michinaga, and basically he wants to overthrow his father and become the head of Fujiwara, and all of Japan. Power struggle…sheesh. **

**REVIEW PLEASE!!  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**First off – I'm really sorry for the long absence. Common tests and homework and school… well, you all should probably realize that by now. End of story. But still****, apologies for the long wait. Hope this chapter'll make up for it. I finished it at 1am, so pardon any mistakes please. **

**Disclaimer: There's a reason why this is called "fanfiction". Nope, I do not own Shaman King.**

* * *

Manta hummed to himself as he strode towards the designated point where he was to meet Keiko, the spot where he had glimpsed the Emperor during the Moon Viewing Festival. The young maid had promised to show him parts of the mansion he had never been to before (with permission from Lord Michinaga himself), and the prospect cheered Manta up a fair deal. He was still trying to get used to life in the Heian era, but found himself feeling more at home after persuading Keiko to scrounge around for some less conspicuous attire. 

The clothes seemed a little too large for his small frame, giving Manta a strange sensation of being untied, but Keiko had produced even this with enormous difficulty, seeing as even most children were larger than the blonde. But Manta thanked Keiko all the same. 

Throughout the afternoon, Manta had glimpsed and learned some things about the Heian Period. Like the fact that women were encouraged to have higher education, or even considered equal at all. Manta had always thought women of the past had been down-trodden by men and learning was unthinkable to them, and only the aristocratic ladies had the chance to do so. But here, it seemed almost all the literature Manta had inquired casually about was being written by women. 

Poetry was very often used to convey messages (as deduced from the numerous servants scurrying around with scraps of paper in their hands), and another way to flaunt one's level of education was by judging the quality of the poems. Personally, Manta thought that it was pretentious, having never been one who boasted much about his own very wide-set general knowledge (except when it involved Lee Pailong, Yoh, his beloved Internet…), but well, to each his own. 

_Internet?_Suddenly, Manta felt his spirits lift, as he thought of the precious item lying safely in the schoolbag. 

Still, he had quite a bit of fun recounting silly rhymes and poems from his younger schooldays, ones which he didn't even realize he remembered. He could hardly tell the difference between a good or bad poem, but Manta knew his were far from refined or beautiful. _I mean, _he thought, _how refined can "Baa Baa Black Sheep?" be? _

But it was interesting to teach something so common to people from the past, provided they didn't start recording modern nursery rhymes and ruining the timeline. Manta spent hours reciting some Western lullabies like "Rock-a-bye-baby" and funnier ones like "Peter Piper picked a peck of picked pepper…" in the little English he knew. 

He also visited the library, where he had trouble reading the scripts found inside due to the different order of words and the still-developing use of _hiragana_. Many of the scrolls were stories written in a style that Manta couldn't fully comprehend, and most of them written by women. Manta recalled the history teacher saying that women often only used_hiragana_instead of Chinese and _Kanji_, which were reserved mostly for men. Heian Japan at the present moment, apparently, started to rely less on diplomatic relations in China and were developing their own culture, resulting in the – lack thereof – _hiragana_ as their unique written language, instead of Chinese. 

Much to his disappointment, Manta wasn't allowed near the smaller section of monk teachings, which were nearly hidden from view. They were probably considered sacred and valuable, written in _katakana_, and this was all Keiko knew. With a jolt, Manta wondered if the Cho Senji Ryakketsu was hidden somewhere there too. 

After visits to the aristocrats' chambers (all 20 or so of them), where Manta was barred from entering, the kitchen (which had what seemed like an army of servants scurrying about), the ballroom, the dais, the countless corridors, Manta felt as though his legs were giving way. Keiko nodded understandingly as Manta finally confessed that he was going to pass out, and made to his room to rest, but also to check something very important. 

After making sure the door was firmly shut, Manta dug his laptop out of his schoolbag. It had remained untouched and nearly forgotten, but the feel of something so modern and connected to his own world brought Manta down to earth, and reminded him that he wasn't dreaming. 

The blonde turned on the power switch and felt his heart pound when he felt the sudden blast of hot air emitting from the battery as the device whirred to life. He hardly knew why he was doing this – it was impossible for any Internet access, so he couldn't even go on his instant messaging account to contact anyone 1000 years later. But Manta was just curious about how a 20th century product would work in the 9th century. And his curiosity, once aroused, demanded immediate satisfaction. 

The screen read "_Resuming Windows"_, to which Manta found odd. The last time he checked, he had shut his computer down completely instead of hibernating it. 

He found out the reason soon enough. 

"WAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Manta shrieked like there was no tomorrow and nearly fell backwards in shock. For huge, horrifingly clear pixelled images of scantily-dressed women – or rather, non-dressed women, full-stop – overtook the entire screen. 

"What…what…how…abuh…" Manta stuttered, utterly winded. With a force of a raging bull, Manta remembered Ryu on his laptop a week before he was brought to Heian Japan. The man had seen Manta return from washing the gazillion dinner dishes, and had hastily closed the laptop, muttering something about searching for the Shaman Fight. Apparently, Ryu was stupid enough to leave it in hibernation mode without even closing the pictures. Manta hadn't thought much of it – up till now. 

"RyuuuuuUUUUUU," Manta growled the last syllable like a mad dog, whipping his gaze away from the offending sight. "He was searching for…for…for…PORNOGRAPHY!" 

"Searching for what?" a puzzled voice came from the doorway. And there stood Asakura Hao, holding his fan, peering down at Manta from his great height. 

"AAAAARRRRHHHHHHHHHH!" Manta let out an even greater scream, and launched himself onto the screen, body and all, mercifully blocking the entire thing. 

"What's wrong?" Hao asked, genuinely alarmed. 

"Evil," Manta stated with fiery determination. "It's an evil thing, I tell you!" 

"What is?" Hao inquired, half torn between confusion and amusement. "Can't I see?" 

"No! Absolutely not!" Manta yelled, hugging the computer even closer with all the desperation of a lunatic. He paled at the thought of Hao seeing the…colourful display on the screen. "You're a monk, I cannot corrupt your virtue, I cannot…" He went on to babble some incoherent nonsense before demanding, "Turn around first." 

There was a silence. "Please?" he added meekly. 

Hao sighed. "Very well." As instructed, he turned his full back to Manta. 

"Right…" Manta muttered, lifting himself off the screen. He stared determinedly at the taskbar as he moved the cursor to delete every single trace of… 

"I didn't know you were into such hobbies, Manta," Hao said. 

Manta spun around, horrified to find Hao looking over his shoulder directly at the images on the screen. His expression was completely impassive, save for the hint of smug knowingness that Manta was all too familiar with. 

"You…YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T LOOK!" Manta shrieked, wildly pointing a finger that was shaking wildly at the onmyoji. In a near out-of-control frenzy, he shut down the whole system, snapping the screen shut before the monitor went off. 

"You only asked me to turn around. I did," Hao said offhandedly, his amused smile again lighting up his features. "But it was you who failed to specify how long." 

"I never…what you… doesn't matter…" Manta wheezed. "Anyway, just to set the record straight – I DON'T look at these things for kicks, I'm underage! My friend was using the laptop to look for por –" Manta snapped his mouth shut. 

Hao tilted his head slightly in the same way he did whenever he was considering something. "What is a laptop?" 

"Ehhh…something from my time," Manta replied. "You know, it's something you use to search for information on online databases, and we use the Internet to surf websites or look for pictures, it's really useful… And we sometimes can use it to store all our assignments or games or music or – " Again, he stopped talking when he realized Hao was just looking at him in silence. 

"Sorry," Manta mumbled, embarrassed. "You've no idea what I just said, right?" 

"No," Hao answered, making a small gesture with his fan, which appeared to be more out of habit than any real significance. "But it's probably a good thing I don't." 

Manta knew that he was right. Knowing too much about the future could cause a mess-up in the timeline, and if Manta made one single mistake, he could cease to even exist in the future. 

The thought brought Manta to one question. "Why are you here, Hao-sama?" He stumbled a little over the honorific, having never even entertained the prospect of bowing down to Asakura Hao. 

Hao looked as though he too was reminded of the purpose of his visit, but was interrupted by hasty footsteps. A plump, breathless attendant appeared almost instantly behind Hao, his whole demenour short of nothing but frantic. "H-hao-sama," he panted. "My apologies, but there seems to be a problem with Lady Akiko's ladies-in-waiting! Please…"

Hao didn't hesitate. He turned swiftly on his heel and exited Manta's room without a word, his long hair billowing out behind him. Sparing the boy a quick glance, the attendant hurried after the onmyoji. 

In a daze, Manta just sat there blinking, then came to a split decision. "Hey, wait for me! I want to go too!" he hollered after the retreating figures as his feet pounded on the wooden tiling.

* * *

What he was even doing there, he wasn't exactly sure. Manta had been seized by an overwhelming surge of almost guilty anticipation, and had gone after the two men without a second's thought. If he had paused to reflect for a while, the blonde would have realized this to be a common emotion whenever Yoh went to do his shaman battles or off doing something heroic. 

But as Manta peeked over the side of the door, the sight before him was far more fearful. Two of Akiko's ladies, whom Manta knew to have been cheerful and polite, were lying on two separate futons, reduced to pale, shivering wrecks. The worst was that they were uttering pitiful moans of pain that matched their expressions. With a sinking heart, the boy knew that this was beyond any normal sickness. 

Hao bent down closer to examine the two women, a slight frown on his face. When he finally stood up, he beckoned to the attendant. "These ladies do not seem to be possessed by any spirit. Perhaps you should summon the physician instead." 

"We've done that already," the attendant replied glumly. "But although he was able to announce that they were probably poisoned, he failed to identify what it was and how to cure it. The only poison plants anywhere near here are in the forbidden gardens or in the nearby forests, and the physician is familiar with all these. He confirmed that the effects do not result from any of these plants." 

The onmyoji raised his eyes to the ceiling, as if contemplating something. Not more than a few seconds later, he spoke. "I believe I know the solution. Take me to Mount Fuji immediately." 

"M-mount Fuji, sir?" the attendant stammered. "Not the sacred mountain?"

"Yes," Hao said firmly. "Now." 

"Of course, right away, sir," the attendant answered hastily and backed out of the room hurriedly. After giving several instructions to the maids attending to the sick women, Hao too, made to leave, but not before looking down at Manta. 

"You want to come, don't you?" 

Manta's only reply was a meek smile.

* * *

Within next few minutes, Manta found himself inside an ox-drawn carriage, beside the onmyoji and Matamune the cat, who was lying comfortably on Hao's lap. It was rather cramped, as the carriage was only meant for one person, but fortunately, Manta's small size allowed space. 

"We will return tomorrow in the late morning or early afternoon," Hao informed the guards overseeing the preparation for the journey. "In the meantime, pass on the message to the maids that no one should enter the room except themselves and the physician. Discourage the Fujiwaras from entering."

"Understood," the guards replied in unison. Then their eyes turned onto Manta. 

"Hao-sama," one of them spoke tentatively. "Are you sure it would be fine for this boy to tag along with you? I know about Matamune-san but…" 

"This is fine," Hao responded patiently, but simply. Recognising the syllable that made it clear that they were to ask no further questions, the guards immediately retreated and bowed. 

After making sure all the ropes and wheels were properly in place, the driver signaled the all-clear. Within moments, Manta felt the jerk of the carriage, and then heard the soft clip-clop of the ox. 

"But really," Hao said. "Why do you want to come along anyway?" 

"Huh? Oh, well, you know…I thought it might be fun to see what's outside." 

"Mere curiosity then?"

The light teasing tone implied that the onmyoji knew that there was more to it than that. "Or is it just a small part of your reason for coming with me?" 

"Fine," Manta admitted grudgingly. "I do want to know what Heian Japan is like, and I also want to know of a way to save Lady Akiko's ladies…" 

"But you also want to sound me out," Hao finished for him. "Seeing as this is a good chance for a private conversation." 

Manta took a cautious glance at the shoji screen, thinking of the man guiding the ox. Not wanting to be overheard, he lowered his voice and replied, "Yes." 

"Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about." Hao scratched behind Matamune's ears absently. The cat snuggled more into his lap, clearly enjoying the comfort. 

"Did you find out something?" Manta asked eagerly. 

"Not much," Hao admitted. "But there is some progress. Time travel is proving far more complex than I thought. It would appear that I still haven't learnt as much about the shaman arts as I like to think."

"Complex? But you already wrote…" Immediately, Manta cut himself off abruptly, cursing himself. 

"Wrote what?" Hao asked, raising his eyebrows. To his consternation, Manta didn't appreciate the knowing look in the onmyoji's eyes. It suggested the unnerving ability to know what was inside the blonde's mind. 

"Ah, no, never mind…" 

How could he be so stupid? Manta could have given himself away in just one sentence. It didn't take a rocket genius to figure out that Hao hadn't finished writing the Cho Senji Ryakketsu, and the method of time travel was therefore still in the developing stage. Manta shuddered when he thought of how close he had come to confessing his knowledge of the future Asakura Hao. "Is there anything else?" 

"What's your true birth place?" Hao asked directly. 

"Well…"

"I assume it's not Timbuktu." 

Manta, for what felt like the hundredth time, felt his insides shrivel with embarrassment. "It's Japan, actually. In Funbari Hill – well, I don't think you've heard of it." Hao made a sound of consent, and leant back. 

They sat in silence for a while, only broken by the soft, periodic mews of pleasure Matamune uttered as Hao continued scratching behind his ears. Manta did wonder aloud how Akiko's ladies had gotten themselves poisoned, but Hao only replied it was inconsequential at the moment. 

It was autumn, with the colourful array of leaves scattered everywhere, and Manta could feel the cold wind sweeping past as he peeked out of the shoji screen. But the temperature inside the carriage was strangely moderate, even though the blonde wasn't even wearing a scarf. With a start, Manta wondered if it was thanks to Hao's mastery over the five elements of nature. 

Manta glimpsed several towns on the way, as commoners bustled around, avoiding the carriage with cowering respect, as though recognizing an important figure. It was interesting for a while, but as the time passed, Manta started to feel drowsy. How long _was_ the whole journey, anyway? 

A few hours had gone by, and the carriage showed no sign of stopping. _ If there were cars around, _Manta pondered blearily, _this whole thing would probably take no less than 2 hours. _Finally giving in to the increasing sleepiness, the blonde fell into a slumber, and didn't even wake up when the carriage was led over extremely rocky plains. 

Manta awoke with a start only when he felt a hand shaking him gently. "Manta," Hao said soothingly. "We're here." 

"Wha…?" Still half-asleep, Manta raised himself off the seat and got off the carriage. Blinking, he saw with a shock that it was already nearly dark. "It's night? So soon?" he blurted. 

"Winter is approaching, so the days are shorter," Hao replied, following Manta out as Matamune leaped onto the ground. 

They were in a desolate area, Manta realized. Other than the few of them, there wasn't a soul in sight. But what really caught his attention was the magnificent sight before him. He hadn't many chances to visit Mount Fuji in his own time, and now seeing the glorious mountain at close range, even in the dim light, led him to stifle an awed gasp. 

"Hao-sama," the driver called out. Manta noticed that he was looking rather apprehensive, casting wary looks ahead.

"Yes, wait here," Hao ordered. "You don't have to worry – no harm will come to us this way." The driver seemed more reassured, although still not losing the tautness in his features. 

"Errr…_harm_?" Manta inquired nervously as the trio paced forwards to the mountain. 

"We're going into the Aokigahara forest, Manta," Hao answered. "Are you familiar with it?" 

"Aoki…gahara?" Manta said slowly. A sudden chill that had nothing to do with the weather gripped him. "But isn't that the place where…?" 

"Where humans often go to commit suicide," Matamune confirmed unexpectedly, but gravely. 

Manta had read about Aokigahara before. The Aokigahara forest bordered Mount Fuji, and was described eerily as "the perfect place to die". It was known as the death forest, where many people who were sick of life went to, and found an inexplicable beauty in killing themselves at the base of the sacred volcano. Apparently, suicide deaths at this spot were already rampant in the Heian era. 

"I hope you won't feel too afraid," Hao said calmly. "The spirits will not hurt you as long as you do not disturb them, but I understand if you do not wish to enter. At any time you feel uneasy, you're always free to return to the carriage." 

Manta drew in a deep breath. "No, I'll come," he announced, trying to keep his voice steady. 

Hao smiled almost appraisingly at the boy. "Good." 

They trudged on in silence as Manta tried his best to suppress his growing apprehension. When they finally reached the outskirts of the forest, his fear took a toll. Perhaps it was his imagination, but the atmosphere surrounding it gave off a feeling of extreme ill-will. The way the trees rustled gave Manta the creeps – it was as if they were whispering to each other. 

"Let's go," Hao said softly. 

Against his better judgement, Manta followed, keeping as close as possible to the onmyoji. The light brush of Matamune's fur against his leg comforted him a little, but not a lot. The darkness was overwhelming, so Hao had to light up the area with a small ball of flames dancing in the palm of his hand. Manta had to resist the urge to cling to Hao's sleeve when the shadows cast danced around menacingly on the trees. 

As they went further in, sound gradually disappeared, leaving an awful compression on his ears. Manta could only hear the eerie rustling and their own footsteps.

Without warning, a sudden gust of wind swept past them, making the flames flicker vigourously. But what really terrified Manta wasn't the quickened movement of the dark outlines, but an echoing scream. It wasn't exactly very clear or shrill, but it was far worse, as though it was ringing in his soul, in the very depth of his mind, and covering his ears to block out the sound did no good at all. Manta knew that something – or someone – was wailing its agony on the wind. 

"H-h-hao," Manta whimpered, cowering even nearer to the onmyoji.. "I can feel it, someone's in pain…Really terrible pain…" 

There was no answer. Manta looked up, and saw, with another bout of fear and also concern, the look on Hao's face. 

"Hao-sama," Matamune said. The cat, too, looked frightened at his master's countenance. 

Hao was bent over, clutching at his chest with his free hand, his eyes narrowed in distress. His mouth was set in a tight line, as though he was trying to suppress any emotion from choking out of him. For one heart-stopping moment, Manta almost thought the onmyoji was about to cry. He shivered when he realized that Hao's expression perfectly mirrored the agony that the scream carried. 

"Hey, are – are you alright?" Manta stammered, reaching warily to touch the voluminous sleeve. The blonde had never seen Hao like this before. Had the scream really affected him that much? 

"He just needs a bit of time," Matamune stated. His voice was level, but Manta noticed that his eyes said otherwise. 

Seconds went by as Hao tried to steady his breathing. Finally, he straightened himself, and Manta was relieved to see that he looked less distraught than before, but still pained. "I apologise," Hao said evenly. "A momentary lapse. Shall we go then?" 

Manta was dying to ask about what on earth had happened just now, but he had a hunch that neither Hao nor Matamune would answer him. 

His questions, bewilderment and shock from the encounter were whirling so furiously in his head that Manta even forgot about his initial fear of the forest. This was a good thing, as Manta's gaze was mostly fixed on the uneven earth and did not observe much around him. If he had, he would've received multiple heart attacks and possibly nightmares by some overhanging corpses on the branches, suicide committed by hanging. Hao and Matamune, of course, said nothing. 

Manta only noted a few times that Hao grimaced rather familiarly like before, but not so agitatedly. It came as a surprise when Hao later came to a stop. 

"We're here," Hao announced. 

"Eh? Here?" Momentarily distracted, Manta looked from right to left. The mass of trees did seem awfully dense. Were they in the very heart of the forest? Other than their voices and an occasional cricket, all sound had been entirely smothered. 

"I think we're in deep enough. Matamune, help me search around, will you?" Hao bent down on one knee and scrutinized the area as he said so. 

"Understood." Matamune began to sniff around, mainly near the roots of trees. 

"What are you looking for?" Manta asked curiously. 

"It's a purple flower with four petals, and it grows as a bunch," Hao said without glancing up. "It should be near the tree roots. Try to help me find it, won't you?" 

"Got it." Manta joined them and started scouting around. 

It wasn't easy at all, even with the light produced by Hao's flames. It was brighter than any normal lantern, but was still quite dim in the midst of all the tree cover and couldn't spread over the whole area. In addition, the tree roots were so closely linked together that Manta had a hard time deciphering specific places to search in, and had to watch his step constantly. 

A huge chunk of what seemed to be black wood a little way further caught Manta's eye. "What's that?" he pointed out. 

Matamune came up behind him to examine the black mass. "Oh," the cat said. "That's a human leg, I think." 

Manta jerked violently, then stumbled back. "H-h-human leg?" he squeaked. 

"The body's probably been eaten by animals," Matamune sighed. "Boars, maybe. It's morbid, I know, but that's how nature is. Humans die and go back to the earth and animals, repeating the living cycle. Nothing should interfere with that natural order." 

"I-I suppose," Manta replied lamely. Despite Matamune making a point, he couldn't help but shudder when he thought of the other human remains in the forest. 

"Don't look so scared. You're safe as long as you're with Hao-sama," the wise cat reassured. Matamune made to walk off, his two tails swishing in the air. "Even from wild boars." He added the last part as an afterthought. 

The mischievious lilt made Manta feel better and bristle at the same time. "I'm not afraid of pigs!" 

Matamune was about to answer, probably to correct Manta's interpretation of boars and pigs, when a voice interrupted them. "Matamune, Manta, come here." 

The pair returned to their original position, and checked out the small plant Hao was holding up. It looked somewhat like small periwinkles. 

"As you can see," Hao said wryly. "I have found it just behind you with absolutely no help from either of you." 

Manta blushed, and even Matamune looked embarrassed. They mumbled apologies, but Hao didn't seem too displeased. 

"Good to see you two're making friends," Hao remarked cheerfully. 

Either way, Manta was glad that Hao's spirits had lifted considerably. The exit from the throng of trees was less tense, due Manta's determination to keep up a stream of constant chatter about nothing in particular to disperse the fear. Luckily, Hao and Matamune didn't seem to mind too much, and perhaps – Manta couldn't be sure – even enjoy it to some extent. 

Later on, in a whimsy moment, Manta vaguely wondered (or rather, liked to think) if the uplifted mood had influenced the miserable spirits from crying out their sorrows on the winds.

* * *

It was an immense relief to finally be out of the forest. The air was so much more open, and Manta indulged in the freer sense of hearing as compared to the dreadful silence in Aokigahara Forest. 

As it was really very late, Hao suggested staying overnight at a small house nearby. Plagued by fatigue as soon as the subject was brought up, Manta welcomed the idea heartily. Several workers were present, shifting wood and cargo, and the man in-charge, upon recognizing Hao as an imperial figure, instantly allowed them room. Hao and Matamune shared, while Manta was led to a smaller room, where two futons were inside. 

Not stopping to wonder about the reason for two futons, Manta fell into a deep slumber the moment he hit the covers. He was completely unaware of three furtive figures carrying something bulky into the room, creeping in silently. 

_**END OF CHAPTER 5**_

* * *

**Author's Note: Well, there you have it. The men brought in a little something for Manta…**

**This might seem a pointless chapter, but there is a bit of plot development. You'll see later on. **

**Oh and, Aokigahara is a real forest at the base of Mount Fuji, and it's said to be the most haunted place in Japan. You can research on it if you want. **

**You don't need me ****to remind you. REVIEW!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Yo, everyone. I seem to have a better idea of where this story is going, so you get this chapter. ****But this'll be the last treat for you all before I go off and mug for the mid-years. :( Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: Skipping down a path leading to heaven happily, Yoh whistled some random tune that sounded like Simple Plan mixed with a symphonic orchestra.**

**Suddenly, out of nowhere, a booming voice that reminded him of his Anna's... well, boomed.**

'**HOW DARE YOU SUGGEST FRASTED...I MEAN FROSTEDHEAVENS OWNING SHAMAN KING!! SHE OWNS NOTHING!! NOTHING, YOU HEAR!!'**

**Yoh trembled violently, before turning way to run towards the gates to hell. If there was somebody in heaven that sounded like Anna, he would rather stay in hell.**

**A/N: This disclaimer is the very…creative idea of my beta, Ao yuki, who decided to add this in as a souvenir. No credit to me, understand? Simply put, I do not own Shaman King. Got it? Good.**

* * *

The first thing that woke Manta was the beginnings of autumn sunshine, streaming through the narrow openings in the stone wall. The blinding rays hit him full in the face, causing him to open his eyes in a squint and to grunt with the usual morning grumpiness.

Sighing heavily, Manta turned towards the other side to avoid the bright light – and stared.

And then he screamed his head off at what was beside him.

* * *

In another room, Matamune opened his eyes, blinking sleepily several times before stretching as an effort to wake himself by yawning. The brown-furred animal then noticed his master beside him, also dozing with his arm perched on the window ledge, resting his head on a tight fist.

From Hao's steady breathing, Matamune could tell he was truly in a restful sleep. _He must be tired out, _Matamune thought. With some amusement, the cat noted that this was probably one of the rare few times that he was awake before Hao, who was usually up before anyone else.

He couldn't blame him of course. Matamune's temporary amusement soon gave way to a more somber mood, as he recalled the night before in the forest. What with all the pain of the wandering, restless spirits in Aokigahara, it was no wonder Hao was affected greatly by it. His reishi ability, that power that enabled him to not only read human minds, but to even actually feel and experience their pain as if it were his very own – Matamune couldn't begin to imagine that kind of torture.

But the Manta boy did help a bit in easing the subdued mood. Matamune himself found the way he was so determined last night to keep their spirits up on the way back was strangely endearing. The two-tailed cat wouldn't have thought to do something like that, simple as it seemed.

Such a curious boy indeed.

"YYYAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!"

The terrified scream jolted Matamune from his musing, his shackles rising instinctively. As for the onmyoji, he opened his eyes abruptly at the entirely unexpected sound, fully awake. The two of them exchanged shocked glances briefly, before immediately making their way to where the shrill cry came from, the urgency in their paces evident.

Once the pair reached Manta's room, Hao slid open the wooden door quickly, just in time to find the blonde making a sprint for the doorway. Before Manta crashed into the onmyoji without thinking, he clasped his arms around Hao's leg in his panic, pointing at the something that had caused him such fright.

"H-h-h-hao," Manta stammered violently. "You... you see…see…" He jabbed a trembling finger with each syllable.

Hao and Matamune clearly saw the object of the blonde's terror.

A grotesque, pallor-faced corpse of an old man covered with a white sheet up to the chest lay beside where Manta had been sleeping. The truly horrifying thing was that the old man's eyes were wide open, with his tongue sticking out at an odd angle. The purple bruises around his neck indicated that he had died by strangulation from a rope.

"W-w-what – is it _doing_ beside…" Manta sputtered, breathing too hard to even speak properly.

"Try to calm yourself, Manta," Matamune soothed, trying to reassure the frightened boy. It didn't work.

"CALM MYSELF!" Manta screeched, tightening his hold by ten-fold. "You think that – that – that waking up in the morning to find a _dead body_ next to me is going to calm me _down_?!"

"Manta." The firm voice managed to reach the blonde even in his frenzied state. He looked up timidly to find Hao gazing down on him. "Matamune's right. Listen. Do you think that you were perhaps so exhausted last night that you entered the wrong room?"

Manta shook his head frantically. "No," he replied emphatically. "A man definitely led me here, and I _know _that – that _this _wasn't here last night." He didn't even dare to look at the horrid sight now.

"I see." Hao's voice had developed a certain edge to it, his eyes clouding in what looked like disapproval. Then he sighed and called out:

"Will the three gentlemen hiding in the next room please come out?"

"Eh?" Manta blinked in confusion.

The blonde thought he heard some uncomfortable shuffling in the next room, but no one responded. "Shall I get them out here, Hao-sama?" Matamune asked levelly, but nevertheless, Manta swallowed when he saw those sharp claws take on a menacing glint.

"By all means, Matamune."

Just as Matamune took a stance that looked like he was about to launch an attack, the three men emerged from the next room. They assembled before the other trio as if facing a trial.

"Ano…Hao-sama," one of them muttered, not daring to look up. "I-is there any service we may offer?"

"Why yes, there is," Hao said pleasantly. "You see, for some reason, my friend here received a terrible fright upon witnessing an unfortunate corpse right next to him as soon as he awoke – as you may have already gathered during your huddle-up in that room."

The men shifted around warily.

"Waking up to find a decomposing body next to you can hardly be the best way to start a new day," Hao continued. "Especially when you are caught completely unawares. Isn't it the workers' responsibility to calm the old man's spirit rather than the guests here?"

"W-w-well," another man stammered. "We…thought that perhaps if we could wake up early enough…we could move the body before your friend woke up, Hao-sama. Really, we get a rather rough deal having to handle this sort of work all the time…"

"So you rather push the responsibility to an innocent bystander?" Hao inquired evenly, no longer smiling. "Manta is merely a 13-year-old boy – I would've thought that you gentlemen would've at least had the decency – and the morals – to at least select someone more hardened."

By this time, other workers had risen to see the cause of the ruckus with great interest, including the man in-charge. "Hao-sama," he addressed hesitantly. "What on earth – "

"These three have seen fit to place a corpse right next to this boy while he was sleeping," Hao replied coolly. "I'll now leave them to you."

"What!" he exclaimed, utterly taken aback. The boss looked to the guilty parties, registered the facts and turned his full attention onto the cowering threesome. "_Now you three listen here _– " he began to thunder.

"Hang on a minute!" Manta suddenly shouted, attracting surprised glances. "What's all this? Why did you three – " He pointed at each individual accusingly. " – place a corpse next to me for no reason whatsoever?!"

"Whenever a suicide victim is dug out from the Aokigahara forest," Matamune explained. "It is brought down here, and it is the workers' job to choose one man to sleep next to the body."

"_Sleep_ next to it?!"

"It's believed that if there is no one to accompany the corpse during the first night," Hao said. "The restless soul will continue to howl through the night and move its body down to regular sleeping quarters. This is why the men working here have to select one worker to sleep next to the body. How do you make your choice again?" He addressed the man in-charge.

Stammering a little at the abrupt change in subject, the man replied, "We jan-ken to see who should sleep next to the corpse."

"Jan-ken? Scissors, paper, stone?" Manta asked incredulously.

"That's right."

Manta laughed nervously, the sound not even sounding remotely joyous. Well, that was certainly one thing he had never known before. _The workers here sure have it rough… _

"BUT!" he shouted, making them jump once more. "Why me of all people? You couldn't have chosen someone else?"

The culprits mumbled something inaudible. "Eh? What was that?"

"Well… You were the only one that was sleeping so soundly in the whole station, and the rest of the men were all working," the man who seemed to be the leader of the trio explained somewhat sheepishly. "I thought that you wouldn't be waking up anytime soon, and then we could move the body out when dawn came. But then we overslept and then…"

"And you were the one supposed to be in Manta's place, weren't you?" Hao said to the man. "It must've been easy to lure him to that room and then sneak the corpse in."

The man bowed desperately. "I assure you, Hao-sama, that there was no malice intended on my part! My deepest apologies, sir."

Hao raised his eyebrows. "Shouldn't you be saying that to Manta?"

The man hesitated, and then bowed apologetically. "I am most sorry, Manta-dono."

"Ah… it's all right," Manta answered hesitantly, waving his hands awkwardly. At the man's aggrieved expression, he felt more deign to forgive him after the initial indignation. He would've been all prepared to put the matter out of his mind, if he hadn't noticed the look in Hao's eyes.

Hao was staring at the bowing man, but his eyes contained none of the gentleness Manta had seen before. His gaze was sharp, cold and clearly pierced into the man before him. Manta's heart constricted as he recognized the look as the very same that the fire shaman 1000 years later sometimes wore whenever he was displeased – which was already rare in itself.

Apparently, the man probably felt the same too, for he visibly wilted under Hao's cold glare. Fresh beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he gulped heavily.

"Umm…" Manta's voice seemed too loud in the uncomfortable silence. "I-I'm really all right, you know, so…hehehehe…" Although his nervous attempts of reassurance were meant for everyone to hear, he was directing them mainly at the onmyoji.

Finally, Hao closed his eyes and turned away, almost as though disgusted. "Come, we'll be returning now." He then spoke to the head, who appeared thoroughly confused at the exchange. "Thank you for your hospitality," Hao said stiffly.

"A-a pleasure, Hao-sa-" But Hao had already started walking away with the other two in tow before he could even finish his sentence.

* * *

Hao roused the driver from his sleep at the wheel, who then hurriedly got ready the reins and assisted the short blonde into the carriage. The rest of the journey was a quiet one, save for the clicking of ox hooves on the ground.

Manta sneaked glances at the onmyoji beside him whenever he dared to. Hao's face was slightly less hard than when in the tavern, but there were still traces of harshness – and worry. Manta found it more than a little unsettling that someone as easy-going as Hao had gotten so furious about something that the blonde believed to be a one-off blunder.

Whatever the reason, Hao was deep in thought, and Manta had no intention of disturbing him. After several long hours spent in silence yet again, the three of them reached the Fujiwara household at last.

Manta stumbled out, exhausted from the long journey, but his almost-forgotten concern kept him awake. Hao handed the flower over to the physician, who immediately set to work in boiling and grounding it to a fine powder. The maids then administered the medicine to Lady Akiko's two ladies in-waiting.

"These two ladies should be fine in a few hours' time," Hao told the physician. "They probably won't be awake until tomorrow, but at least their condition should stabilize soon enough."

"Thank you very much, Hao-sama," the physician said gratefully, bowing.

"Why don't you go to sleep, Manta?" Hao then addressed Manta. "You look rather worn-out yourself."

"I'm fine," Manta replied quickly. "Can I stay here for awhile? I want to see if they get better."

"You heard Hao-sama. These women won't wake up till tomorrow. Are you planning to stay until then?" Matamune reminded him.

"I'll just see if they improve by today," Manta said.

"Will that be allowed?" Hao asked the physician.

"Well…" the healer hesitated. "If the boy doesn't make too much noise or disturb our work, I don't see why not."

"I'll leave you here then, Manta," Hao said. Manta felt a curious sense of relief when he saw a shadow of Hao's old smile creep back across his lips. "I still have work to attend to."

"Mm, see you ar – " Manta stopped when he saw a tall, familiar man appear at the entrance behind Hao.

"Good morning," Yorimichi greeted pleasantly. "I see you and your entourage have returned, Hao."

"So it would seem," Hao responded coldly.

Manta swallowed. It was back again, that steely glint in Hao's kindly orbs and the chill in his voice. What was going on?

Yorimichi, however, didn't seem quite as affected as the man responsible for the corpse fiasco back at the station. He smiled, his gaze roving over to the blonde. "I'm surprised you of all people went along with our head onmyoji, Manta."

Manta couldn't quite put his finger on it, but the words felt like an implication of something. "I-I-uh…" the boy stuttered, unsure of how to react.

"Yorimichi-san," Hao intervened swiftly. "Is there anything you require of me?"

"No, not at all." Yorimichi waved a hand dismissively. "I just wanted to see what miracles you would perform for these poor ladies after your return, that's all."

"There is no miracle on my part, Yorimichi-san," Hao stated. "Only from the cures nature brings us."

Yorimichi's smile bordered on a smirk. "I see. So just normal medicine was the answer all along?"

"Were you expecting something else?" Hao asked. His tone was kept carefully neutral, as was his countenance, but there was definitely a distinct iciness that Manta noticed instantly.

Yorimichi shrugged carelessly, but nevertheless still in a refined manner expected of a noble. "Perhaps. But it doesn't matter. I best not be keeping you from your work then, Hao."

There was a stifling pause when neither of them moved. "You plan on staying here too, Yorimichi-san?" Hao finally broke the silence.

The Fujiwara son raised his eyebrows delicately. "There's no problem, surely?"

"I suppose not," Hao answered. He then turned to Matamune, who was eyeing the frosty conversation warily. "Matamune, can you remain here too?"

"Of course, Hao-sama."

The aristocrat raised his fingers to his chin. "Why are you leaving your talking cat once you hear that I'm staying as well, I wonder?" Yorimichi asked smoothly.

"Let me pass, please," Hao said, ignoring the question. Yorimichi's smile faded a little before he stood aside for Hao to disappear out of the door.

* * *

After another few hours, Manta felt that he had endured enough uneasy experiences in the Heian period. Yorimichi stayed, asking the blonde questions that didn't look suspicious to any outsider, but Manta instinctively knew that they centered mostly around Hao and himself. The earlier exchange had put Manta on his guard, as he tried his best to answer the aristocrat's questions as concisely as possible without revealing too much.

But there were moments that Manta had to count upon Matamune's presence to rescue him, leading the short blonde to believe that perhaps Hao had had a good reason in leaving the two-tailed cat behind.

At last, Yorimichi gave up and left, allowing Manta and Matamune to retreat to a corner. "Ne, Matamune," Manta said quietly, once Yorimichi's footsteps were out of earshot. "What has been going on today?"

"What do you mean?" Matamune replied just as softly, as the maids and servants bustled around, bringing in towels and basins of hot water.

"You know what I mean. I could tell, you know," Manta huffed. He rested his head on his scrunched-up knees. "Hao seemed – I mean, Hao-sama – was really angry today at that man who put the dead body beside me."

"Weren't you as well?" Matamune asked, his mouth twisting up a little in a small grin.

"I don't mean it like that!" Manta protested, and then simmered down when the maids cast surprised looks at him. "I mean, as in, _really _angry. I almost thought he was going to kill someone right there and then." He shivered again at the memory.

"Actually, I don't know," Matamune sighed. "Hao-sama tells me a lot of things, but he hasn't been saying anything to me much lately."

"He _never _says anything much," Manta said frustratedly. "That's what I feel."

Matamune chuckled half-heartedly. "Haha, I suppose. Hao-sama is a quiet man, and he doesn't like to have anything disturb his peace and privacy. You should remember that."

"I know that already," Manta responded. "And he was angry with Yorimichi-sama too. Why?"

Matamune's smile died, and his voice took on a more serious intonation. "Couldn't you feel it?"

"Hm?"

"That man, Yorimichi, cannot be trusted," Matamune clarified, staring at somewhere far off. "I don't know why he was challenging Hao-sama like that, but you'll do well to be on your guard against him."

Manta nodded, knocking his chin gently onto his knees as a sign of his disquiet. "He…he _looks_ nice, I guess. But I don't know why he was asking me so many questions about me, and Hao-sama. And he wasn't very friendly with Hao-sama, was he?"

At Matamune's nod of affirmation, Manta sighed again. He had heard of things like this before, like when his father had to deal with sneaky clients and ruthless business competitors, but it was another thing to actually face it himself. There were so many things he didn't know, so much ill-feeling in a single day. He didn't know, and didn't _want _to know what people were up to, with all the double meanings and second-guessing. All he wanted to do was to go _home. _

"Anyway, what happened last night too?" Manta asked, suddenly remembering the night in the forest.

"How do you mean?"

"What happened to Hao-sama? He was acting…strange. Like he was in pain, when that spirit swept by us – I think." Manta felt uncomfortable just thinking about the encounter.

Manta slid a glance in the cat's direction when he didn't reply. Matamune's eyes were clouded, dark, and sorrowful as he contemplated.

One thing was certain – Matamune definitely knew the reason. He just wasn't telling it.

"Oh well," Manta mumbled. "If you don't want to say it, you don't have to…"

Matamune's grave expression cleared a little, enough to give the blonde a tiny smile. "Don't worry so much. It'll be fine, you'll see. It's not as if you're all alone in this."

"Yeah…" Manta pondered, and remembered Yoh's usual mantra. "No point in worrying so much about things, right?"

"Exactly," Matamune replied approvingly. "The ladies' conditions should have gotten better already. Do you want to go now?"

"OK, but wait for a bit. I'll check with the physician first." With that, Manta stood up and left the room in search of the non-present physician.

The moment the blonde left, Matamune thought over the boy's questions. Whatever was going on, whatever Hao already knew but wasn't saying, it concerned Oyamada Manta, all right. The first priority Matamune knew his master would take, was to ensure Manta's quick and safe return to his own time, where he would be away from the danger Hao foresaw.

Somehow, the cat had the nagging feeling things would not turn out as simple – as they always did.

* * *

_**1000 years in the future…**_

"MANTA!" Ryu roared, hands all over the wall as though hoping to find the boy in it.

The rest of the shamans inside the room were frozen with shock. The spell had gone wrong, horribly wrong. What was Manta doing outside the room? Yoh's heart sank when he thought of the conversation about his best friend that had been going on. Had Manta overheard everything?

But more importantly, was _when_ he had gone to. He had disappeared into a swirl of black mist, which Yoh knew probably to be a time portal of sorts. How many years had Manta gone? Suddenly, Yoh had the mental image of the small blonde ending up in the age of the dinosaurs, with the ferocious T-Rex towering over him, its jaws opening to devour him whole…

"GAAAAH!" Yoh yelled, shocking everyone and even Ryu to cease in his own wailing. "Manta's going to be eaten alive! How can I ever forgive myself, _Manta_…"

"C-calm down, Yoh-dono…" Amidamaru stammered, holding up his hands in a placating gesture. He didn't know what his master was talking about, but the samurai ghost knew he had to stop Yoh's imagination running wild. Asakura Yoh losing his composure…wasn't a good sign.

"MANTA!!" Ryu continued once more.

"There's just been some mistake in the spell, we'll just look in the Cho Senji Ryakketsu for answers to bring Manta-dono back…" Amidamaru tried to soothe the distraught teenager.

"But what if Manta's gone back to the Dinosaur Age? I-I was watching a documentary about it the other day, and the dinosaurs were so _huge, _what if they trompled all over him, or eaten him whole? He's so small and short compared to them, and he'd just get picked off into pieces…"

"You're thinking too much, Yoh-dono…"

"MANTA!!"

"All of you shut up right now!"

Anna's shikigamis, formerly Hao's, materialized instantly to give the two a huge wallop. That did the trick, as always. "_Honestly,_" the itako scoffed angrily. "All of you are just jumping to conclusions about stupid things when we're supposed to figure out _how_ to bring Manta back."

"But how are we going to do that?" Yoh asked, his hands smacking flat on the table. His normally relaxed demenour was gone, replaced by both guilt and worry. "We don't know where Manta has gone, or how long he has gone back…or even forwards… What are we going to do? What is _Manta _going to do?"

"Isn't there anything in the book, Faust?" Amidamaru asked worriedly.

"I can't find anything," the doctor replied, looking strained. "But…I suppose that there _is _a way… just one… I can't think of anything else."

"What way?" both Yoh and Amidamaru asked quickly.

"What do you have in mind, Faust?" Anna said sharply.

"Well, let's think," Faust answered calmly, and held up the moth-eaten, tattered book. "Any inventor must know the way his project was manufactured and designed. Who do we know that will definitely have the answers to his very own teachings?"

A dumbfounded silence rang over all of them, so loud that one could've heard a pin drop. "D-d-do you mean…" Amidamaru finally spoke hoarsely.

"We have to…" Yoh continued in a croaky voice.

"Find…" Anna added crisply.

"Hao?" Ryu finished unexpectedly. He withdrew his flattened face from the floor and looked up to see three pairs of widened eyes staring back at him.

_**END OF CHAPTER 6**_

* * *

**Author's Note: Hehe… well, what do you think? I'm a little doubtful about people being able to see Matamune, but I'll just leave it as Hao's existence to enable normal humans' vision of this lovable cat. ****Review!! **


	7. Chapter 7

**Through the Ages chpt 7**

**I'm back at last. Sorry for the long wait, but like I said – exams. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Under the sea, in the depths of the deep blue ocean, lies a pearl gleaming so brightly that should any divers see it, they would undoubtedly immediately grab hold of it.**

**However, one creature... one creature that was equally, if not more mesmerized with the pearl than anyone else, would never allow anyone to go near the pearl.**

**As soon as a pair of legs appeared one metres near the pearl, the sea urchin angrily leapt up and dug its spikes right into the said pair of leg's flesh.**

**A faint 'OUCH!!' was heard, before the sea urchin landed protectively beside the pearl again.**

**Mumbling under its breath, the sea urchin said.**

'**If frostedheavens doesn't own Shaman King, NO HUMANS shall ever own MY pearl!!'**

_**Footnote: My beta shall be my official disclaimer-creator. In no way does the above, unique disclaimer belong to me.**_

* * *

The forbidden areas of the Fujiwara household held the chambers of the aristocrats, where not many would dare to venture in without permission. The west wing belonged strictly to the direct lineage of Fujiwara members – anyone foolish enough to challenge that authority would be promptly dealt with.

Yet, sealed off from any prying eyes, was a man, one of the Fujiwara ministers, kneeling on the tatami mat outside the rooms of the Fujiwara sisters. On the opposite side of the shoji screen was a distinct figure of a woman.

"Well?" The crisp voice belonging to Lady Murasaki spoke.

"My lady," the man answered. "I have received word that the Taira ministers are coming in to seek an audience with you late tonight. It would appear that your words have convinced them."

"No, it does not," Murasaki replied frostily. "Men often look down upon women – especially in political matters – and I would be surprised indeed if they are so easily persuaded.

"But, I suppose it does not matter," Murasaki continued, sighing. "I will speak to them, and see if they can be trusted."

"That is wise, Lady Murasaki," the man said reverently.

Murasaki ignored it. "What of the other Fujiwara governors?"

Almost imperceptibly, the man shifted uncomfortably, as though harbouring a secret. "Well…" the man said haltingly. "I have spoken to them, and have managed to convince a fair few. But most are overly cautious, they have reservations about this opposition against your father."

"Cowards," the noble woman said coldly. "Opposition? Is that how they see it? They hate my father, yet they lack the nerve to free themselves from his rule. They have everything to gain, yet they throw it away because of fear."

"Yes of course," the man agreed hurriedly. "But they have heard of false promises before…there is no guarantee that this time – "

"That – " Even through the shoji screen, the man could feel the penetration of Murasaki's glare boring into him, "- is your job, Kensei."

Kensei gulped, and cowered. He knew full well of the unspoken threat that lingered over him should he fail to complete his responsibilities of influencing the Fujiwara ministers. "I realise my mistakes. Forgive me, my lady."

"Hopefully, you'll spare me your unnecessary apologies the next time I see you."

"Y-yes, my lady."

"And next time, I want a report on Asakura Hao and Oyamada Manta. Their friendship could prove useful."

* * *

It had already been a week since Manta last met with Hao, and winter was fast approaching. He only glimpsed the onmyoji in far away distances before he was always somehow rushed to somewhere else, and never saw him during mealtimes. Manta's guess was that he was probably busy, because during the rare moments he caught sight of Hao, he was always surrounded by two or more people who seemed to be constantly asking him for some help or advice. The last time he'd seen Hao, he was responding to the thanks of Lady Akiko's two ladies in-waiting, now fully recovered.

Manta, having never been someone who was willing to laze around for long, had asked Keiko if there was anything he could do during his free time. While Keiko had promised she would try to find something, she was still busy with preparations for the upcoming wedding between Prince Ichijo and Lady Akiko, and was rarely seen without doing work such as transportation of bethrothal gifts and choosing of fabric. As a result, the boy didn't dare pester her too often.

After breakfast, Manta made up his mind and decided to head for his room. He had just remembered that there were still Heian school assignments and history reference material in his school bag – the irony was almost laughable, really, but what better way to pass the time?

The blonde had been held up briefly by curious Fujiwara residents, due to the scarf he was wearing to keep himself warm in the chilly weather. Awkwardly at first, he didn't really mind handing it over for "just a little while" (which took half an hour). His only moment of horror came when his attention had drifted off and one of the later inspectors, an elderly woman, mistook it for a washcloth and attempted to wipe off some spilled cod oil.

Manta set off for his room after retrieving his scarf and beating a hasty retreat, and passed by a door slightly ajar.

_Voices…_

"…shouldn't be needlessly persecuted. Not every spirit or demon wishes us harm."

Manta's eyes widened. It was Hao's voice.

"Be that as it may - " This time, Manta recognized the vocal belonging to Yorimichi. "- I'm afraid the constant demon attacks on villagers and even on this household prove your statement wrong."

"Constant? Hardly. More often than not, demons are passing through the capital and nothing more. While some indeed do not wish humankind well, initiation of extermination usually lies with humans."

"I apologise if I sound rude," Yorimichi retorted. "You're referring to humans? _Us?_ That sounds like humans are the cause of everything, and all misfortunes on the people have absolutely nothing to do with demons or evil spirits at all."

Ripples of murmurs drifted through the crack in the doorframe to this response.

"Not quite," Hao said, and yet, Manta thought he sounded rather strained, as if unable to stomach a certain fact. "But it cannot be argued that in many cases, the one almost always on the offensive are humans themselves. Demons and spirits are ethereal beings, and people cannot understand and accept them simply because they are not the same. They are afraid."

"And can we blame them for being so? We can't possibly just sit back and wait, observing every single ethereal being that passes by!" another man's voice, hoarser and older, was heard.

"Why not, if they are harmless to us?"

"By the time we do discover if they're harmless or not," Yorimichi's smooth voice cut in again. "It'll be too late for anyone, Hao. And even if those creatures do have no ill intent, isn't the safety of humans the top priority over anything else?"

"I was under the impression you were actually also referring to humans too," Hao replied evenly.

"Pardon?"

"Humans who could see and communicate with spirits. We were just discussing that earlier."

"Ah, you mean that?" Yorimichi's tone had taken on an unidentifiable change. "I didn't mean anything against you personally…or that cat…"

Manta had never taken an interest in discussion involving philosophy or politics. But just standing outside listening to the jibes against spiritual human beings that the Fujiwara son was making made him bristle from head to toe. Even though if he hadn't met Yoh, he would never have believed in any of it in the first place…

"No, I do not take that to heart, Yorimichi-san," Hao said, but with a suspiciously lighter tone to his voice. "By the way, did you know that there seems to be someone outside who appears to be particularly interested in joining us?"

Manta jumped, and tried to swallow the small squeak threatening to rise from his throat by clamping both hands to his mouth. Even through the small opening in the door, he could see several heads turning curiously in the direction of the door.

"Open up the door, Manta," Hao called pleasantly.

Wishing that he had enough guts to run away and never look back, the blonde pushed the door open bit by bit sheepishly in the face of the astounded audience.

"I…I… Er, I was…just walking around, just passing by, you know…" Manta stammered uncontrollably. "You don't have to mind me…seriously…" Manta tried not to remind himself of the time he had first met Ryu and his gang.

He heard a man curse, and turned his fearful gaze onto him. "There were supposed to be servants outside this room! When I find out, I'll have a whip taken to them…"

"Calm down, Nobunaga," Yorimichi recovered from his stunned surprise enough to speak. "The philosophy session can always continue later on."

"You, boy!" the man called Nobunaga barked, making Manta twitch violently. "What were you doing outside? Don't you know eavesdropping like this warrants severe punishment?"

"I'm…sorry," Manta managed to force out. "I didn't know, I can leave, really…" He gulped. How could he explain this?

"Nobunaga," Hao interjected. "Must you frighten the boy like this? He's new here, and I am the one who invited him in."

"Relax, Nobunaga, he is nothing more than a child." It was then that Manta realized that there was a dark outline of a man hidden behind a shoji screen. "There is no need to kick up a fuss."

Nobunaga drew back at the words of the mystery man, then bowed. "I understand, Your Highness."

_Your Highness? Oh man, even the Prince Ichijo is here…_

Manta looked back and forth, thoroughly intimidated by the authorative presence of the crowd of people staring at him. "Sorry," he repeated weakly, wanting nothing more than to get out as fast as possible. "I guess I'll be leaving, so…"

"Wait."

He stopped.

"Your Majesty, will you give your permission for this boy to sit in?"

"Well, it's all right with me," Ichijo responded.

Before he knew it, Manta was seated onto the tatami mat. "Don't worry," Hao said, his eyes twinkling in amusement. "I said I invited you, didn't I?"

With that, the session swung into full procession once more.

* * *

By the time the philosophy discussion had ended, Manta's legs were weak with fatigue from sitting in the uncomfortable seiza position for two whole hours. He had sat cross-legged at first, until he noticed disapproving glances cast in his way. The boy couldn't fathom out the reason until he noticed that the people were all sitting stiffly with their legs underneath them.

The discussion (somewhat of an argument) could have been interesting to him if Manta hadn't been so focused on his own discomfort, willing every second to go faster. Once again, he marveled at the power of Anna, this time for her actually being able to sit like that every time during dinner.

"Are you all right?" Hao asked as Manta slammed both hands onto the mat to heave himself up, wincing as he did so.

"Uh yeah…I mean, not really…" he muttered as he let out a fresh grimace.

Several people murmured greetings to Hao on the way out, while Yorimichi merely nodded haughtily, to which the onmyoji seemed to pretend not to see.

Hao smiled slightly as Manta struggled towards the door, looking as if he had just sat on a horse for too long. "I didn't know you weren't used to seiza position. Looks like my efforts to include you have gone down the drain."

"I only overheard the beginning. Outside the door, I mean," Manta stumbled. Aching pain seared throughout his small body. "About spirits and humans and all…"

"I see." Even though his legs were giving him hell, Manta didn't miss the dark look that passed quickly over the onmyoji's face. He looked away.

Hao did not speak, and the silence only made Manta more nervous as he walked slowly beside him. "Yorimichi-san was a little…" the blonde spoke up, though he wasn't sure why did so, then realized he didn't know how to continue.

Hao stopped, and looked inquiringly at him.

Manta fumbled around for the right words and cursed himself for doing so. "I don't think he was right," he finally blurted out.

Manta couldn't seem to look at the man before him, so he didn't see the faint smile that replaced the darkness before Hao walked away without a word.

* * *

It was already dark when Manta at last reached his room after his slow, painful walk, as the days were much shorter as winter neared. Closing the door, he glimpsed several little creatures who could only be demons and some ghosts disappearing through the wall. He had gotten well used to this sight during his time at the Fujiwara mansion.

He opened his school bag lying in a corner, and as he drew out his history textbook, he couldn't help but glance at it happily. Being in the Heian era was far from unpleasant, but having to mix around with the people in this age, he sometimes forgot whether he was really 1000 years from the future. Here, at least, was proof of his surreal existence, evidence of the world he was from.

Sure, he had gotten a reminder before from his laptop, but he wasn't going to go near it yet. Not after that horrific incident…

Spreading his legs out carelessly, Manta began to read.

Most of the text under the Heian Period was about politics and dates, the seizing of territories between nobles and the rise of the four noble clans – Fujiwara, Minamoto, Tachibana and Taira. Needless to say, the Fujiwara dominated these families and Japan. Particularly interested in the section about Fujiwara no Michinaga, he turned his attention onto it.

"_Fujiwara no Michinaga (966 – 1028) was the head of the Fujiwara clan during the Heian Period of Japan, and was therefore possibly the most powerful person in the Heian court. Born from Fujiwara no Kaneie, he was the youngest son and so only gained influence in court at 15 years old after the deaths of his two brothers, Michitaka and Michikane, who had died from disease. _

_He managed to wrest political power from his nephew, Fujiwara no Korechika, who was the son of Michitaka, with the support of the reigning Prince Ichijo's mother and his sister. He then continued to gain backing from the court, and was soon appointed as '_Nairan', _a secretary to the emperor. _

_To further secure power during his reign, Michinaga married his daughters or women in the highly extensive Fujiwara clan into the royal family. In 1000, he made his daughter Shoshi (otherwise known as Akiko) become the wife of Prince Ichijo, and soon after, similar outcomes followed for his other daughters, who were married to members of the royalty. _

_Michinaga retired in 1019, but still continued to hold extraordinary influence over current affairs, even though he never officially took on the title of a _kampaku _regent, and retained the title of the _sessho _regent from 1016 to 1017. In 1017, his son Yorimichi succeeded him as a _sessho _regent. _

Manta noted the asterisk beside "sessho" and "kampaku" and scrolled down to the footnote:

_Sessho – _a title given to a regent who was assisting either a child emperor, or an empress.

_Kampaku – _rather like a chief advisor for an adult emperor. Both the _sessho _and _kampaku _were practically rulers of Japan.

Manta looked up from his book. History was still history, but here he was, a modern boy transported back in time to practically witness these historical events unfold before his eyes. Whew.

Suddenly, Manta's gaze shot towards the door. He was fairly certain that there was no one near his room, but without thinking, he stood up and slid the door open.

The tug he felt inside of him suggested that someone was… dare he say it? It was almost as if someone _needed _him. Needed his help desperately.

Shaking his head, Manta put it down to imagination. Why on earth would anyone need his help now? _He _was the one who needed help to return home.

With renewed fervour, the young blonde flipped open two other reference books he borrowed from the library (20th century, of course), pulled out his notebook and pen, and started to jot down notes for his report.

* * *

In the private quarters of the Fujiwara mansion, Asakura Hao was alone in the divination room. The candle flames flickered, sending shadows dancing across the walls and illuminating his features in an unholy glow. Seated in the middle, Hao was surrounded by the insignia of the five-point star – the representation of Mother Nature.

Maximising his powers, the onmyoji focused all of his willpower into the final element that would complete his mastery over the five elements. It had taken him five whole years to master Fire, Water, Wind and Earth. Six months of practice and meditation had been put into mastering Metal – and Asakura Hao refused to acknowledge giving up, not when he was so close to his goal.

Praying for the stars' guidance, Hao held his hands up with fingers interlocked and closed his eyes.

"Water overcomes Earth, Earth overcomes Water, Water overcomes Fire, Fire overcomes Metal, Metal overcomes Wood… Water overcomes Earth, Earth overcomes Water…" He repeated the same phrase over and over again.

The flames began to flicker even more violently, and the imprint of the star started to glow.

_I will be one with nature. _

All of a sudden, the candle lights went out and the air became unnaturally still.

Hao let out a sigh of weariness, his exhaustion apparent. It had been the same for the past six months, for almost every evening. Going through the same ritual yet again, he picked up a piece of bark beside him and let his Furyoku flow.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, much to his astonishment, a layer of silver metal soon began to spread over the wood.

The onmyoji stared at the transformed piece of metal in his hand, hardly daring to believe it. So much work, so many months of hoping and disappointment – and at last. He had finally mastered the five elements – truly.

_I am one with nature. _

_No – I _am _nature. _

His sense of triumph was short-lived as he heard the faint sound of people's voices, spoken in hushed whispers. His eyebrows creased involuntarily. Visitors at this hour? Why hadn't he been informed? He stood and pushed open the wooden door slightly just in time to see several dark outlines make their way sedately along a small garden path, in the direction of the aristocrats' chambers.

Without warning, the onmyoji very nearly collapsed to his knees as a strong wind swept by, rustling the trees and making them sway ominously. It was just like in Aokigahara – the pain, the unrest of the spirits, the troubles of the world…

Gasping, Hao clutched at his heart and squeezed his eyes shut, wanting nothing more than the pain to just _stop_.

Something was disturbing the spirits terribly. They had died because of the similar events that were about to unfold, the treachery, the plotting that was happening _all the time _–

Blindly, Hao slammed the door shut and staggered towards a low, round table that was filled with amulets and the object that would soon contain all of his knowledge of the Buddhist arts, the Cho Senji Ryakketsu. It was opened to a page where he had been trying to devise a method of time travel, for Manta.

He pushed away all of them, scattering them to the floor until he found the thing he had always relied on during times like this. In his hand was a small Hina doll that his mother had carved for him when he was a very young child – he had played with it without knowing what exactly it was for a long time.

_Mother… _

Hao laid his head on the table, gazing upon the doll and tried to restrain the tears that so desperately wanted to come.

A knock at the door almost made him grit his teeth. Of all the times…

He half-contemplated to just ignore it, but a familiar female voice sounded through the closed door: "Hao-sama?"

If it was her, then ignoring her presence would almost feel like an insult…

Uttering a soft sigh, he rose, trying to maintain his dignified appearance. "Come in."

The door slid open, revealing the dark silhouette of a woman. Going over to the candles, Hao relit them, and the lights revealed a hesitant-looking Keiko standing in the doorway. "Umm…I'm sorry for disturbing you so late, Hao-sama…" she started.

Hao gave a small smile. "I don't mind. Come right in, and close the door." After a moment's hesitation, Keiko stepped in and shut the door.

"Now, what did you want to speak to me about?"

Taking a deep breath, the young maid opened her mouth to speak, but Hao already knew what she was going to say before she seemingly lost her nerve and halted.

* * *

_**1000 years later…**_

"So…" Yoh said hesitantly. "How do we contact Hao?"

After reaching an unanimous decision to seek help from Hao, they realized quickly that they were stumped as to this question. "What about the phone?" Amidamaru suggested a little too brightly.

"Er, well, do you think he even has a phone?" Yoh asked.

"Even if he has, which I doubt so, how do we get his number?" Anna snorted derisively with perhaps more venom than usual. Asking for assistance from the very person they were trying to kill did not sit well with her, even if they had no choice.

"I'll get Tamao to come over," Anna announced decisively. "She can make her Ouija board work and provide some answers to his location. Then we're heading to where he is." With that, she left the room.

"All hail the queen," Yoh muttered, after making sure his future wife was well out of earshot. His samurai partner could only grin weakly.

Not more than a few minutes later, there was a commotion downstairs, involving a lot of groans, yellings – all of which were rather familiar.

"What do you think all of you are sneaking around here for?!"

Anna's enraged voice made them all cringe, but the occupants of the room bounded downstairs anyway to the source of the ruckus, and found Anna near the entrance, her back facing them and holding the phone off its cradle in one hand.

"We weren't sneaking around… we just wanted to give a surprise…"

The muffled voice came from somewhere among the pile of bodies that were blocking the entire doorway. "BORO – I MEAN, HORO HORO!" Yoh exclaimed in shock.

"TAO REN!" Amidamaru used the exact same pitch and volume.

"CHOCO – " But Ryu was soon cut off by a piercing glare of Anna's that clearly indicated severe punishment if the lot of them continued yelling.

"GET OFF!" Ren roared, and sent the two people on top of him flying backwards. He stood up, trying to recover whatever dignity he had left by brushing off invisible dirt off his pants.

"Well? What are you all doing here?" Anna repeated.

"Those two dragged me here – " he jabbed a finger behind at the two boys who had adopted furious expressions akin to that of a frenzied carnivore. "Said they got bored at home, so they decided to come and meet up at Yoh's place."

"You wanted to come pretty badly yourself, _bocchama…_"

"Really?" Yoh said before Ren could retailiate. The carefree shaman uttered a nervous laugh. "Thanks, guys…"

"Thanks?" Chocolove echoed. "For what?"

"Anyway, where's Manta?" Horo Horo asked quizzically, peering over, wondering if he had missed the boy due to his greatly diminished height. "I don't see him around."

Yoh faced him with dead seriousness that immediately alerted the three unexpected visitors to attention. "We have a problem."

_**END OF CHAPTER 7**_

* * *

**Author's Note: Information from Manta's history book was taken from wikipedia. Just something to take note – in real history, Ichijo was indeed the Emperor, but in this fic, the true title belongs to a child, so Ichijo is just a member of the royalty that assumes the place of Emperor. But of course, as I mentioned before, Michinaga is the one that holds the real power - regarding military and political stuff, that is. **

**REVIEW! Constructive criticism much appreciated. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Through the Ages chpt 8**

**Disclaimer: ****Silence preceded the announcement before various hushed whispers followed quickly.**

**The buzz that went throughout the hall slowly increased in intensity before a man sitting in the front of the hall used a metal spoon to tap lightly on a ceramic bowl. As if he had flipped the off the switch, silence once again took hold.**

"**Do my ears deceive me? Could you kindly repeat what you said again, boy?"**

**Nervously the said boy with jet black hair and green eyes loudly proclaimed for the whole court to hear.**

"**Fro...Frostedheavens owns Shaman King!"**

**Coldly, the man slammed his clenched fist onto the wooden table, successfully breaking it.**

"**Man, bring this lunatic outside to be executed."**

**No one dared to make a sound as the boy was dragged****, kicking and screaming, outside. As the doors swung shut, cutting off any sound, the man spoke with badly suppressed fury.**

"**I, Lord Hiroyuki Takei,**** own Shaman king. Any humans who dares to claim otherwise shall be dealt in the same way that boy was dealt with, understand?"**

**The ministers bowed their head.**

* * *

"WHAT??"

The horrified cry was emitted together from the trio's agape mouths that were almost as large as fishbowls, similar to the big, dumbfounded eyes on each of their faces.

"Manta's gone?! To the past?" Horo Horo pounded his fist on the table so hard that Yoh could swear he saw a dent in the wood. "And you don't know _where_ he _is_?"

"Watch what you're saying, idiot," Anna snapped, immediately shutting the agitated Ainu up. "Are you saying it's our fault?"

"N-no, um, I mean…"

"And get your hands off my furniture. I'm not having you lot destroying everything in my living room."

Horo Horo withdrew his hands quickly and stared at the table, his teeth gritted. "But –" he sputtered. "What are we going to do? We can't just leave this alone!"

"Of course not, _baka_," Ren snorted, raising an indignant sound from Horo Horo. The Chinese boy turned to address Yoh and the other living residents of Funbari Inn. "Do you guys have some kind of plan?"

"Well, yeah, sort of," Yoh replied sheepishly, scratching his head. "But I…don't think you're going to like it."

"What is it?" Chocolove asked as the three of them tensed in anticipation.

After a moment's hesitation, Yoh went right straight into it. "We ask Hao for help," he said deadpanned, and braced himself for the explosion.

Silence. A cold wind blew outside the house. And then…

"NO WAY IN HELL AM I GOING TO –!" Ren and Horo Horo thundered together, bolting to their feet, before Anna's shikigami made a second appearance and knocked them flat to the floor.

"I knew it," Yoh and Amidamaru muttered in unison.

"We really don't have a choice," Faust piped in unexpectedly, drawing attention from everyone gathered around the table. "Hao invented this, so he's the only one who should have some answers, don't you agree? I've examined the book, but there's no method detailing how to bring someone back from a different time."

"Wait a minute. If that's the case, wouldn't that mean even Hao doesn't know of any way?" Ryu cut in. "This thing –" he gestured to the tattered book lying open on the table. "– is supposed to contain all of what he knows, and all."

"Even if he does, d'you think he'll actually _tell_ us?" Chocolove snorted, folding his arms and knitted his eyebrows in a frown. "I mean, you guys were trying to kill him after all, and Manta's probably nothing more than another worthless human being to him."

His words struck home, and certainly didn't raise any of their hopes. "I should've thought about that too," Yoh said, looking crestfallen. "But we _have _to get Manta back – and this is the only way out. I'll – I'll do anything Hao wants of me, so –"

"Don't be stupid," Ren gruffly interjected. "Are you going to just listen to that guy so easily? He'll probably force you to join his ranks so that he can obtain his 'other half' in exchange for Manta!"

"But we don't have a - !"

"We do," Ren said, cutting off Yoh's protest.

"We do?" all of them repeated dumbly.

The Chinese fighter sighed. "You said that you were attempting to go back 13 years ago to kill Hao,weren't you?" Ren began. "We should try that again. Manta's possibly sent back to that time."

"I see," Anna said, contemplating. "That's true."

"OK," Yoh announced, letting his hands fall flat to the table rigidly. "We try that spell again, this time with _all_ of us doing it. I don't see why that shouldn't increase our chances of making it work. And if it fails –" He didn't like to think of all the complications that could occur if it went wrong again. What if another one of them disappeared like Manta? "- if it fails, we – we go to Hao. All right?"

Everyone nodded. "Let's get this rolling," Horo Horo growled.

* * *

By the time the meeting with the Taira ministers had ended, Lady Murasaki was tired. Very tired. At the last minute, she left a message for the ministers saying that the meeting would be held at a different location from her room, different as originally planned. She dared not risk having the meeting held near her private quarters for fear of any spying, late-night walkers, and had arranged it to be held at a different area, near to where the Northern Branch – which was a cabinet of the governors assisting her father – often held their meetings.

It was rather risky, she mused as she walked along the corridor back to her room, having the Taira ministers coming in quietly. She knew full well that there was the chance of people seeing these figures, but Yorimichi had shrugged it off, saying that it would not matter. Despite being rival clans, the Fujiwara still had connections with the Taira family as well as the other noble houses, so it wouldn't seem too strange for them to be paying visits. No one could pin the blame on either of them even if they were found.

_I suppose I cannot argue with that, _Murasaki thought rather discontentedly.

She took her time walking back to her room, having a desire to think. The plan was rather simple, really – get rid of Akiko and the people around her, and accuse the Manta boy for the deaths. He could see spirits and demons, so it would hardly take much for the fools living here to believe the boy to be a demon child of sorts, who had arrived to wreak havoc and prevent the rise of the Fujiwara power. She wouldn't be surprised if that were the truth – his background was highly dubious. No one knew where he came from before he somehow ended up unconscious outside the mansion.

The boy was to be a scapegoat, and nothing more.

There still remained the problem of how exactly to convince the people that Oyamada Manta could really see demons, but Yorimichi would arrange that, or so he said. It would happen once all the plans had been finalized and set into motion.

Murasaki came to a halt, and stared idly at the clear, black water of the lake as she pondered further. Her brother would claim the credit for leading the campaigns against demon extermination, mostly involving Manta and the deaths that would occur very soon. He would gain favour with the court and his father, and things would proceed more smoothly for him once he was in the higher ranks. Michinaga was still very much an authoritative presence and far too influential for his own good, which was why Yorimichi was determined to get supporters from the various clan ministers and the peasants too, as he became more powerful, before finally overthrowing his father and stamping out all traces of his influence once and for all.

Murasaki sighed, and gazed into the sky. Even now, Yorimichi was probably outside or having just returned home from rallying the peasants and convincing them to support his revolution against his father. _Which could hardly prove difficult, _Murasaki mused. _Those commoners have led lowly lives all the while with my father as ruler. _

And as for her? Her job was to convince the ministers for her brother, and make promises of wealth and promotion – all of which she herself doubted Yorimichi would even carry out.

She did not care, though. All that mattered was whether Yorimichi would keep his promise to _her _– that he would arrange for marriage ties to be formed between Prince Ichijo and her after his rise to power. Not only would she then be a prestigious member of the royalty, but she would be able to advise and take charge of political and religious affairs. Murasaki was well aware of her fine mind and wit – she would do well in such matters and put herself among those who were at the peak of the Fujiwara's flourishing strength.

_Unlike that __easily excitable, dim-witted sister of mine, _the noble lady thought disdainfully.

Lady Murasaki then smiled, one that was cold and devoid of any compassion. Of course, Asakura Hao would have to be out of the way. The onmyoji was far too prized in court, with his advice and philosophy teachings to Michinaga and other important governors. Not to mention his skills that warded off any evil beings that threatened the prosperity of the Fujiwara family – it was certainly impressive beyond doubt. It was painstakingly clear to Murasaki that her brother hated and was jealous of Hao, for all the influence he wielded.

And the better part was that Asakura Hao's and Oyamada Manta's growing closeness had not escaped their notice.

She couldn't be certain if they were _friends_, but it would do. It was clear they were close acquaintances.

Taking a deep, satisfied breath, Murasaki began padding towards her room once more. As she turned a corner, a figure also came straight toward and nearly bumped into her.

"M-milady!" came the shocked gasp. The figure came to a dead stop, and then backed several steps away, bowing.

"Keiko? What are you doing here?" Murasaki asked sharply, glaring at her maid through the dim light.

"I-I was…" Keiko fumbled, her hands clutching at the folds of her kimono. "I'm sorry, milady… I had to put away some things that I had forgotten during the day…"

"Really? Where did you go?"

"A-at the south wing. Near the Asakura quarters."

"Did you, now?"

Murasaki had the well-known trait of staring down a person, and it was an ability she had mastered perfectly over the years. Keiko started fidgeting after several minutes of silence.

"I-I'm sorry, Lady Murasaki," the maid whispered. "Is there anything else?"

Her mistress looked at her for a few more uncomfortable seconds before giving a small, dismissive nod. "No," she replied. "You can leave."

"Thank you, milady," Keiko sighed, and made to hurry past Murasaki before the noble woman's voice stopped her.

"You are close with Oyamada Manta, are you not?"

Keiko's eyes widened and turned back to her mistress. "I…" she stammered. "I suppose so."

"Well then," Murasaki said almost gently, which, in truth, scared Keiko more than anything else. "You'll tell me everything about him, won't you? Such a curious child, he is."

"I…"

"Well?"

Keiko swallowed, trying to wet her dry throat. "Good night, Lady Murasaki," she whispered and took off after giving a short bow.

* * *

The young maid walked on hurriedly, neither looking left nor right, but rather fixed her gaze below her. Her heart was pounding, not only with fear, but also with guilt. Afraid of the darkness that suddenly seemed to be looming at every turn, she made her way straight to the infirmary where the fires were still lit for anyone who was feeling unwell at night.

Once inside the small, spartan room, Keiko picked up a flask, poured water into a bowl and drank rapidly from it. Staring at her reflection on the water surface, she recalled her conversation with Hao-sama before she ran into Lady Murasaki:

"_Hao-sama…" Keiko began, and then stopped, her conscience pricking at the inner coils of her mind. _

_Hao looked at her for a while, but not unkindly. Hao had never been unkind to her. _

"_It's just… I've come to warn you," Keiko blurted out in a rush. Whatever it was that Lady Murasaki was doing, it could not mean anything good against Hao and Manta, which was why she had tried so hard to suppress her feelings of shame for betraying her mistress. _

"_Ah," Hao sighed, raising a hand. "I advise you not to concern yourself with it, Keiko." _

_Keiko faltered, her mouth slightly open. "Hao-sama?" she asked hesitantly. _

"_I'm well aware of everything that you want to tell me," the onmyoji replied. _

_When the maid could only look upon disbelievingly at the almost calm indifference he was regarding the matter, he smiled – a small one, but still a smile. "But nevertheless," he continued, coming toward her. "Thank you. For your… loyalty." He placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezed it ever so slightly, and then he was gone. _

Keiko downed the rest of the liquid and set the bowl beside her. 'Loyalty' was a word she had not been expecting – she had thought it would be something like 'concern', or perhaps a phrase like 'for being so anxious'. But then she knew that Hao had indeed hit the nail on the head with one single word that summed up everything that was causing her so many headaches.

It was loyalty to her mistress and the Fujiwara clan that plunged her into such dilemma. When she had passed near Murasaki's quarters to fetch a hairpin for Lady Akiko (she would never have gone there if she hadn't received permission from the aristocrats), Keiko had overheard only the last part of Lady Murasaki's words:

"_And next time, I want a report on Asakura Hao and Oyamada Manta. Their friendship might prove useful." _

Just those few words had immediately caused her instincts to come to life. She had only become un-rooted from the floor when she heard footsteps, perhaps of the man meeting Lady Murasaki, and had fled instantly.

Was Hao referring to her loyalty to Lady Murasaki? Or to himself? Or perhaps to the boy whom she had nursed a soft spot for, Manta?

_Hao-sama…_

Keiko bowed her head. _I guess right now, _she thought, _all I have to do is to believe in him._

* * *

Early afternoon dawned all too quickly, and Manta was still half-way through his Heian report when he heard a brief knock at his door.

"Boy? Oyamada Manta, are you –" the voice of a young man started to speak, but stopped when he found the small boy in a rather odd position.

"I-I'm fine, nothingatall...ahh…j-juststretching…!" Manta gabbled, with a strangely high-pitched note to his voice. He could feel the words bleeding into each other as they flew out of his mouth, but his vocal cords didn't seem to be in his control, and neither did his heart.

The servant blinked at him several times, and then shrugged the boy's queerness off.

"Michinaga-sama wants you in his quarters in the evening," the servant told him briskly. "And night falls quickly nowadays, so I advise you to be ready soon."

"What?" Manta nearly forgot about his sudden moment of panic. "Michinaga-sama? Why does he want me for?"

The servant shrugged. "I do my duty, I carry out orders – the rest is none of my business. Either myself or someone else will be here to escort you after your evening meal, so be sure to be back in your room on time." Without another word, the servant disappeared before Manta could speak.

Entirely nonplussed, the blonde turned back to his bag. He drew both of his hands out of the encasement of his school bag, then hurried to the door and shut it firmly.

_That was a close one… _Manta shuddered, wiping sweat from his brow. _A millisecond later, and that servant would've seen everything in the_ _history textbook…_

Just thinking about the dire consequences should the servant have seen the assignment Manta was doing on the Heian Period made him gulped down heavily. His vehemence in zipping up his school bag and stuffing it in the darkest corner he could find carried somewhat a tint of desperation in it, as he backed out of the room and only wished he could lock the door.

The brightly-coloured leaves were scattered vibrantly all over the ground, which could tempt any curious child into snuggling under the pile of leaves and turn it into a brilliant hiding spot – which were in fact what some of the aristocratic children were doing right now, as Manta could see while jogging along the corridor. He smiled a bit when he heard the voices of their nurses scolding them for being too rowdy, and demanded that the children get in, away from the cold.

_Ah, kids will be kids, _Manta felt like saying to them. _Why restrict that bit of freedom when they're still so young, before they grow up and experience all the hormonal imbalances of teen – _

"MATAMUNE!" he yelled in pure surprise.

The cat, who had been walking along the railings, widened his eyes. He wasn't the only one, though. The nurses and children looked up, surprise evident on their faces.

"What are –" Manta started to ask Matamune, but the cat had raised his shackles, putting on a rather frightening appearance.

"_Manta! _Those people can't see me!"

"Wha -?"

Manta glanced back the observers and saw clear confusion and suspicion as they regarded him. "I-I'm sorry!" he shouted back, flapping his hands about wildly before veering off in the opposite direction.

"Go to the Asakura quarters – we'll talk there," Matamune ordered.

So he did. He sought navigational help from the cat around the huge mansion, until he stopped, panting and exhausted, at the very same spot where he had first met Matamune.

"W-why…" Manta wheezed, clutching at a nearby pillar for support. "Can't…_gasp…_they…_gasp_…see you?"

"You need to work on your stamina," Matamune commented, and received an indignant glare from the boy. The cat chuckled a bit as he leaped lightly onto the ledge and settled down.

"I'm a Goryoushin, remember?"

"Yeah, but…" Something didn't make sense, something he hadn't registered before… "...Yorimichi could see you. So did the guards."

"Only because Hao-sama willed it," Matamune explained shortly. "He is my master; he gave me this body out of his Furyoku."

"So…you're invisible to anyone else?"

"To anyone who isn't a shaman," Matamune replied, scratching himself with his hind leg in a lazy sort of way. "Or anyone who doesn't have spiritual powers – unlike you."

"Heh…so it's kind of like, a switch then?" Manta remarked curiously. "If Hao-sama turns it on, people can see you, and if it's off, they can't, right?"

Matamune just stared at him.

"Never mind," Manta muttered. "Why did Hao-sama make you invisible?"

The cat paused, as if considering whether or not to tell him. "He gave me a task," he relented.

"A task?"

"To check something," Matamune said. "It would be more problematic if people could see me."

"What do you – ah…were you spying?" Manta asked accusingly.

Matamune looked affronted. "Don't need to take that tone with me, boy. It was absolutely necessary, given…given certain events."

Manta frowned. "Certain events? What's with all the secrecy? What are you talking about?"

"Things that are Hao-sama's business alone."

But Manta wasn't the top scorer in his entire school level for nothing. "I don't think so. It has something to do with me, right?"

Matamune said nothing.

"Tell me!"

The cat sighed exasperatedly. "Why do you think it has anything to do with you?"

"I just know. I'm not entirely clueless. There're things that you and Hao-sama aren't telling me," Manta huffed. "If it's your business only, I'd leave you alone, but I'm stuck in this strange age for no reason whatsoever, and I just…argh, I don't know!" Even he had no idea why frustration was welling up and boiling over in him as he clutched his head.

"I'm always being left in the dark for some reason or another! Even Yoh didn't want to tell me what he was going to do! I'm probably in the middle of what's been going on, although I don't know _what_, but people just can't seem to think I'm actually worth more than I look –" _Are you? _

Did he really believe that?

"I just want to know the truth –" Manta yelled as a way to shut the voice in his head up.

"Manta."

The blonde immediately ceased his ranting and spun around sharply. Behind him was Hao himself, looking down at him with an unreadable expression on his face.

The silence that permeated was more uncomfortable than Manta had ever experienced before. "Ummm…" he tried to muster. "I was… er…"

"Throwing a tantrum," Hao finished for him, and despite his embarrassment, the knot in Manta's chest dissolved slightly as he looked up and saw a teasing smile forming on the onmyoji's face.

"Hao-sama," Matamune's voice resounded behind him.

Manta, too busy looking down on the floor as though fascinated by it, didn't see the look that passed between the two of them. "All right," Hao conceded. "I will give you the truth, if that's what you want, but –" he said it in response to the eager look on the boy's face – "there are things you are better off not knowing too much about. I'll do my best to answer any questions you have, but don't expect me to tell you everything."

"O-ok."

Hao leant his back against the pillar, and gestured to Manta to take a seat on the ledge beside Matamune. "Manta," he began. "Do you know anything about power struggle?"

"Sure," Manta agreed, surprised. "I mean, my father is in business, so he has to keep competing with other rivals to keep the profits coming in, and I've heard him mention – well, some nasty things that people in his work do. Sometimes, business partners turn against each other and rivals usually do some pretty despicable stuff to climb to the top."

"Then your father understands," Hao said. He closed his eyes, looking almost weary, even repulsed. "What do you think their main motive is?"

"Er – money, I suppose. What else?"

"It's power, Manta. Humans are selfish, and can do terrible things in order to gain or maintain their power. With power, humans convince themselves that they are god, that the world is at their fingertips. Which is why power is so enticing to them that people are willing to go to any lengths to get it."

Manta nearly stopped breathing, thrown by the words that were spoken so harshly. A thousand-year later Hao hated humans to the core. Was this why - ?

Hao took a deep breath and released it with the words he spoke next. "In this age, it is no different," he continued a little more calmly. "Aristocrats have to vie with each other to stay in power – Lord Michinaga has to rival tirelessly with other noble houses. And…humans can be willing to even betray their own kin, their own blood relations, to reach their goals."

"I understand all that," Manta said, confused. "It's pretty upsetting, but what has that got to do with me?"

"There is a major strife that is already happening," Hao replied evenly. "My focus is on returning you to your own time before you can witness all of that."

"Already happening?" Manta's heart went cold. "What is it? Does it have anything to do with…_me_?" For the life of him, he couldn't understand why he would be caught up in aristocratic affairs. "But I don't belong to anyone important…at least not in this time – why would I be - ?"

He must have sounded rather desperate, for Matamune reached out a paw and rubbed Manta's back. "I think it's best if I don't answer that, Manta," Hao said impassively. "All you have to do is stay quiet and leave the rest to me."

Manta opened his mouth to protest, but then shut it and looked away. "I understand," he said tonelessly. "Guess I'll be going then." He then turned abruptly and vanished, his footsteps fading quickly but gradually, trying to run away from everything he'd always known; everything that always hurt him.

"….Why won't you tell him?"

Matamune watched the boy's retreating figure sadly as he posed the question to his master. "The boy is not used to such deceit that lingers in this place," Hao replied in a dismissive manner. "He's better off not knowing, as I don't plan on letting him stay much longer – and neither does he."

The matter of reporting the recent developments the cat had witnessed were completely forgotten. "Pardon me for saying this, Hao-sama," Matamune argued. "But you've never been one who ever practiced the saying, 'Ignorance is bliss'."

"He is not of this time, Matamune," Hao responded a little more forcefully. "If I tell him what would be in store for him, and what would happen whether or not he stayed here, he would have to take those memories back when he returns…" The onmyoji turned to give his cat a look that almost bordered on a glare. "You don't understand."

Hao leant his head back against the pillar and breathed, knowing that his last three words sliced cleanly into his friend's heart. But there was nothing he could do.

"You're right, Hao-sama," Matamune said woodenly, and jumped off the ledge onto the floor with a thud that rang with a dreadful sort of finality. "I don't understand. None of us do."

_I've realized that I don't understand anything about you, Hao-sama, because you never gave me that chance. _

And Matamune left, leaving his master more alone than ever before.

* * *

_**A millennium later…**_

"DAMN!" Horo Horo shouted, trying to wave away the smoke that clouded his vision aggressively.

"THIS DOESN'T WORK!"

The attempts to re-start the spell had failed dismally, throughout the few hours that they had tried countless times. The result ended in different ways each time. Yoh and Ryu had received a face full of wind that nearly blew them out of the window (with Yoh shouting excitedly at the same time), then Anna and Faust had nearly both their faces spurt with water that shot up in sprays from nowhere (the latter had thrown Horo Horo into the pillar headfirst with unbelievable strength for sniggering at the close disaster). On and on it went until it seemed that Fate lived up to its reputation for finishing all misfortunes with a big ka-boom, when all of them had witnessed a small explosion occur, filling the whole room with stifling clouds of smoke.

"I've…_had it_…" the Ainu wheezed, hacking and coughing.

Ren, with his pointed hair completely flattened and bedraggled, gave a roar of frustration, seized the ancient book and started to shake it as if trying to pummel it into admitting its mistake for making utter fools of them. "WHAT THE HELL IS HE UP TO?!"

"Who?" Ryu withdrew his flattened face from the floor a second time, massaging his nose.

"HAO!" Ren bellowed. He threw the book onto the floor and looked like he might even stomp on it. "WHAT KIND OF JOKE IS THIS? WHAT KIND OF RUBBISH DID HE PUT IN THIS ANYWAY?!"

"C-calm down…_cough…_Ren…" Yoh said, brushing himself and then giving a weak chuckle. "No good, huh?"

"Looks like we are going to have to ask Hao, that bastard," Chocolove announced moodily.

Tao Ren looked like he was going to fly off in a rage again until the doorbell rang, its shrill tone resounding throughout the house. "Excuse me!" a high, sweet-sounding voice echoed from outside. "Anna-san? Yoh-sama!"

"Tamao-chan!" Ryu perked up.

"Good, she's here already," Anna said. Somehow, she alone had remained safe from the minor destruction.

Yoh stared after her as his fiancée strode out of the hall. "Geez, that means she would've called Tamao here for nothing if we'd succeeded…" he muttered, scratching his head.

The next moment, everyone was at the doorway and there on the threshold stood the pink-haired, timid shaman, whose mouth dropped open upon seeing the state of the group. "W-what happened to…?" she squeaked.

"Never mind about that," Anna waved away her question. "Come in anyway. We need you to find someone for us."

"Hai!" Tamao obeyed her respected senior without question and entered the house, murmuring a greeting to rest of the shamans. Anna cleared her throat when Yoh waved and said "Yo!" to her.

"Ano, Anna-san?" Tamao asked, trying to shift away from Ryu, who was attempting to hug her. "What exactly happened to Manta?"

"He got sucked back into the past – or so we think," Anna explained. "I'm sorry, but it's no time for explanations. We better get started."

"Hai!" The blonde-haired itako led the way to the living room, where Tamao would soon utilize the Ouija board tucked under her arm to its fullest extent.

Once everyone was seated again in a circle, Tamao took a deep breath. "I'm starting."

"Find him," Yoh said determinedly as Tamao opened her board. "I'll go to wherever he is, and I'll get Manta back. Find Hao."

_**END OF CHAPTER 8**_

* * *

**Author's Note: Hmm, not much action in here. More of revelations and nothing else. I tried squeezing in more parts I planned for Hao in this chapter, but I couldn't seem to, not with the way the chapter was going… So I guess it'll have to be in the next chapter then. **

**Whew. The meeting up with modern-day Hao is taking longer than I expected. But never fear, for I plan for him to make an appearance in chapter 9. Look forward to it! **

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed! A lot of you have been with me since chapter 1… -grins- Keep it up, ne? XD So… REVIEW!! Anyone? **


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**Hey, how's everyone doing? I've lost track of the last time I updated… Anyway, school's started, so I don't have the time on my hands to update as regularly, moi thinks. :( I've got a clearer idea of how the story should flow…but I'm still in dilemma over the ending. Guess we'll have to see how it goes. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: ****He bended down further at his waist, his eyes squinted and body tensed. The wind that rushed past him sent his mane of green hair flying backwards almost akin to a cloak.**

**He was close, so close to winning the race. If only he could just gain that bit of extra distance...**

**Giving a hard final push with his ski poles despite his very much protesting muscles, the finishing line loomed in front of him like the light to the end of a very dark tunnel.**

"**Frosted****heavens did not, does not and never will own Shaman King!!" he exclaimed with a triumphant grin as he crossed the finishing line.**

* * *

Manta walked behind the servant who was leading him to the Fujiwara head, feeling rather nervous. Not long before had he arrived in his room after a hasty dinner did the servant show up and knock on his door. Silently, he pondered the reasons behind the strange summons and just hoped he hadn't done anything wrong.

The servant soon halted in front of a door. "Michinaga-sama," he called. "I have brought the boy."

"Let him in," the deep rumble that belonged to Michinaga penetrated through the door.

Manta stepped into the candle-lit room tensely, and a sense of foreboding quickly replaced his initial surprise at seeing Yorimichi standing beside his father.

"Um, you called for me, Michinaga-sama?" Manta asked, as the door closed behind him.

"Yes, indeed," Michinaga replied. "You must be wondering why I have suddenly summoned you for no apparent reason, so I'll get straight to the point. Do you remember a man named Nobunaga?"

The blonde creased his eyebrows, trying to recall the familiar name. "Nobunaga?"

"The man you met yesterday, Manta," Yorimichi said. "The one who – well, yelled at you for interrupting the philosophy session."

The memory of the man immediately surfaced to his mind. "Oh yeah, I remember him. Why do you ask me that?"

"He's sick," Michinaga announced abruptly. "Very sick."

"Sick?"

"Nobunaga collapsed yesterday shortly after his meal, following the philosophy session," Michinaga explained. "He was complaining of terrible migraines and abdominal pain, and was later found unconscious along the garden lake. He was taken to one of the infirmaries later on."

Manta gaped. "I…I didn't know that," he stuttered. "Why? What's wrong with him? How is he?"

"Alive, but in critical condition," Yorimichi answered his last question. "The physician says he's by no means out of the woods."

"Is it food poisoning?"

Yorimichi looked at him closely, his concentrated gaze making Manta feel more than a little uneasy. "Why do you say it's poisoning?"

"Well, you mentioned abdominal pain, and that's typical of food poisoning, isn't it?" Manta said, frowning.

There was a short pause before Yorimichi replied, "I suppose it is."

"Food poisoning is out of the question," Michinaga said. He started to pace up and down the room, folding his hands behind his back, staring out of the window behind him. The cool breeze made the candles flicker. "Everyone ate the same food as Nobunaga did, and no one got sick."

"His symptoms are even worse than that of the previous patients, my daughter Akiko's ladies-in-waiting," the lord continued with a grimace. "He is one of my best advisors – I do not wish to lose him."

"Did you ask Hao-sama for a solution? Like last time," Manta asked cautiously.

Michinaga's gaze turned onto him, holding a strange look in his eyes before it disappeared as soon as it appeared. "We have asked him. He claims that he has no idea."

Manta bit his lip, but then furrowed his eyebrows when something sank into him. "It's bad for Nobunaga-san, but what has it got to do with me?" he asked confusedly.

Perhaps it was Manta's imagination, but he thought he glimpsed a fleeting glance being exchanged between father and son. "Someone saw you near Nobunaga's quarters, where he spent most of his day in," Michinaga said, watching closely as surprise and confusion settled in deeper into Manta.

"I was?" Manta asked, his jaw dropping. "But…I didn't see him after the session. In fact, I was with Hao-sama right after it, and then I went back to my room."

"Is there anyone to vouch for you? Apart from Hao," Yorimichi added as Manta opened his mouth.

"N-no one," Manta replied uncertainly, not quite liking the way the questions were being thrown at him. It felt more like an interrogation rather than harmless inquiries.

"I - " Manta began, but Michinaga beat him to it.

"All right. You can leave now." The enigmatic ring to the lord's voice made it clear that Manta was being dismissed without a doubt.

After a moment's hesitation, Manta bowed quickly. "Hai," he uttered. The unease in him still churning, Manta left the room.

There was a moment of silence when the door closed after him. "Well," Yorimichi spoke first. "What do you think, Father?"

"I think you're reading too much into it, Yorimichi," Michinaga's replied gruffly, turning to look at his son. "The boy doesn't seem threatening, just confused. He did not appear shifty or guilty to me."

"Perhaps," Yorimichi said, as his father turned to stare at a painting hanging on the wall beside him. "But I still do find it suspicious that Nobunaga got sick right after he shouted at Manta yesterday. And do you not think that is background is questionable? He shows up right in front of our house, unconscious with strange clothes, feeding us an unreliable story of hunger and starvation. He - "

Michinaga held up a hand, stopping Yorimichi's monologue in its track. "I do wonder about the truthfulness of the boy's claimed origin," he admitted. "But it has nothing to do with Nobunaga's illness. As for the scolding Nobunaga gave him yesterday, well, that is a weak motive. Very weak. Don't you agree, son?"

"I suppose so, Father. But the boy - "

"I don't want any distractions from your work, and neither for your sister's upcoming marriage, Yorimichi," Michinaga continued, tilting his head to look at his son severely. "And the physician will see to Nobunaga's health. Understood?"

"Yes, Father." Without another word, Michinaga swept out of the room, the servant outside bowing to him on his way out.

"Yori - " The servant started to speak.

"Leave me," Yorimichi commanded. The servant hurried to comply and shut the doors to the room.

The power his father had over him caused a huge bubble of resentment to rise within him, but the aristocrat fought it down. Michinaga's refusal to believe Yorimichi wasn't unexpected, but it was good enough – for now. At least, he had cast some shadow of doubt onto Oyamada Manta's trustworthiness.

Yorimichi paced up and down as he recalled the incident of Aokigahara. His man had put in the dead body alongside the boy, but if Manta had conversed with the spirit of the old man at all, he had done a brilliant job of hiding it. Or perhaps the chance to catch the boy red-handed had merely been missed, seeing as the plan hadn't really been a plan at all. There was no harm in taking advantage of the opportunity, however slim the chances of success were.

Other than that, everything was going smoothly. It was only a matter of time before the various noble families' ministers - as well as those pathetic peasants, came over to his side and then nothing would stop him from seizing the top position.

Smiling bitterly yet triumphantly at the same time, Yorimichi left the room in the same manner as his father.

* * *

Meanwhile, it was only fear of disturbing the Fujiwara residents that prevented Manta from screaming aloud in frustration.

"I'm LOST!" he growled despairingly. How could he have been so stupid, wandering off like that with no sense of direction whatsoever? He had turned around, going this way and that aimlessly, trying to retrace his steps, all to no avail.

There was nothing for it. He was going to have to head off and find out from someone – anyone – how to get back to his room.

Manta turned swiftly to the side – and gave a brief yell. Several other people gave soft screams as well.

"_Manta!_" someone gasped, steadying herself against the rail.

"K-k-keiko?" Manta stumbled, trying to slow down his jumpy heart. He blinked several times, for he had come face to face with a couple of women – maids, from the looks of it – all breathing deeply from the sudden shock.

They looked at each other for a while, and then someone started to giggle. Soon, everyone was laughing, though they didn't dare get too loud for fear of retribution from the higher-ups.

"I'm – I'm sorry," Manta apologized as soon as he got his breath back. He wiped his sweating hands (although it was cold outside) onto his fabric, and postured himself sheepishly.

"Why are you out here in the dark, Manta?" Keiko asked. "It's not safe, you know."

"I haven't been in this part of the house before, so I got lost," Manta admitted. "I was trying to find my way back to my room."

"In that case," Keiko said kindly. "I'll walk you back. All of you; deliver the herbs to Nobunaga-sama. I'll be there shortly," she added to her maids.

The women bowed, and brushed past them, one of them carrying a wooden tray of several odd-looking plants and water. "Nobunaga-san's ill, isn't he?" Manta said.

"Apparently so," Keiko sighed, as she started to lead Manta back to his room. "I have no idea why. I know the cooks always make sure to adopt hygiene when preparing food for the masters, so it can't be food poisoning…"

"Well, Michinaga-sama sure thinks it isn't food poisoning," Manta muttered, his mind wandering back to the odd and strangely unpleasant exchange earlier.

"Is anything wrong?"

Manta hesitated for a fraction of a second; then decided to come clean with Keiko. She deserved it, especially after their long separation these few days. "I met with Michinaga-sama and his son, Yorimichi-san just now. They asked me about Nobunaga-san's illness."

"What?" Keiko seemed stunned. "But why would you have anything to do with it?"

"I don't know," Manta said, frowning in puzzlement. "Yorimichi-san said someone saw me outside Nobunaga-san's room earlier on. But I haven't been anywhere near it! Not that I know of anyway… Maybe I accidentally walked past it without knowing?" Manta ended with a sort-of question, not quite believing it himself.

Plenty of people could've walked by Nobunaga's room. Why was _he _given the special attention?

"I heard a little about the disruption at the philosophy discussion," Keiko remarked tentatively. Their walk was now slowed down to a gentle pace, each becoming absorbed into the mystery of the matter. "Nobunaga scolded you, did he not?"

"Well, yeah, but I didn't mean to disturb the proceedings, I just listened in by accident…" The blonde's voice trailed off in dawning suspicion. "Hang on… they don't think… that _I'm_ responsible for his sickness, do they?"

"They might. Since Nobunaga-sama didn't treat you too well on your first encounter."

Manta gaped again, his mouth even wider than during the conversation with Lord Michinaga. "But…" he sputtered. "That's crazy! I didn't even remember the incident until Yorimichi-san reminded me of it! Why would I want to…I dunno, poison him over something as stupid as that?"

"Quiet down, Manta," Keiko admonished urgently. As Manta struggled to simmer down, she spoke more gently. "It's just a guess. I know you didn't have anything to do with it, so you don't have to worry unduly."

What Manta didn't realize was the real worry that was growing in the young maid herself. Keiko couldn't help but suspect that what she had overheard from her mistress had something to do with what Manta had just told her.

_You'll tell me everything about him, won't you? _

Was it mere coincidence? Or perhaps something more sinister?

"Err… Keiko-san? We're here already."

Startled, Keiko turned to see Manta a little way behind her, right outside the door to his room. "Oh," she said, embarrassed. "I'm sorry. You better get a good night's rest, then."

"What's wrong?" Manta asked before she could leave. "You're looking kind of troubled."

Keiko opened her mouth to speak, but no words came, as she remembered what Hao had told her: To leave things to him and not concern herself with it. But did that mean she wasn't allowed to tell the boy of what she suspected?

To her surprise, the boy's expression darkened. "You know something, don't you?"

Keiko hesitated, unsure of how to respond. "Manta?"

"People have been keeping things from me so much lately, I can tell the signs straightaway," Manta said, smiling hollowly. "I know that something…just _something_…and it's not good either… is connected in some way to me. I just can't figure out what."

Even if his tone sounded off-hand, but beneath that, Keiko could hear the frustration and anger underlying. She suddenly felt a surge of sympathy for the boy.

"I don't know everything," Keiko started to say, and her tone made Manta look up in surprise, with a slight hint of eagerness. "But I overheard Lady Murasaki speaking to someone the other day… saying that she was interested in you and Hao-sama."

A few seconds passed.

"…Huh?" was the most intelligent reply he could muster.

"I tried warning Hao-sama about it, but he just said to leave things to him, and that…" Keiko faltered as she recalled his words. "And that he knows about everything I want to tell him."

Manta glanced around uncertainly, but the last statement had been no surprise. "I bet he does," he muttered. "But I don't see how I'm going to get anything out of him."

"You should trust him, Manta," Keiko advised the blonde. "Has Hao-sama given any incentive for you not to do so?"

"W-well, no, but…" _I trust Asakura Hao? You wouldn't be so quick to if you knew him a thousand years later…_

"I've known Hao-sama for some time…even if I'm not close to him…" Keiko said, pulling Manta out of his troubled thoughts. "He is…kind. Trustworthy. I'm sure he'll do his best to help you, whatever may be going on." She had been on the verge of telling the blonde of her frightening encounter with Lady Murasaki, but decided against it.

Manta looked at her curiously. Her facial expression reminded him of someone he knew in the future, somehow…

_Tamao_, he realized with a jolt. _When she's talking about Yoh. _

"You like him, don't you?"

Keiko seemed to be brought back to Earth with a rude shock, for she turned her startled gaze onto him, looking flustered. "O-of course not!" she stammered. "I don't…it's not like that…"

The maid seemed to fight an internal struggle as Manta openly stared at her, looking blank. "Good night, Manta," she snapped, and then walked swiftly away, leaving a very confused boy standing outside his room.

* * *

The next morning, it seemed that winter had fully set in at last. The trees appeared forlorn and lonely without the leaves that gave them such vibrancy and colour in the summer or springtime, and the icy winds that blew stung every bit of exposed skin on the people of Fujiwara. Shivering as he got up, Manta dressed dully, and the cold air immediately gave him a full, chilly wake-up the moment he stepped outside.

"Now snow'll come next," Manta said to himself as he wrapped his scarf around his neck more tightly.

Despite the cold weather, Manta had decided to take a short stroll before breakfast, and along the way, he glimpsed the Lady Akiko picking out several betrothal gifts in the dining room, such as jewellery and hairpins, for herself and her ladies-in-waiting. "Manta-kun!" one of the many women surrounding her squealed upon seeing the blonde's form.

"Er, hi," Manta greeted awkwardly, then kicked himself for addressing the higher-classes so casually, but none seemed to notice.

"Come in! Come in!" And before he knew it, Manta had been swept up into the middle of the excited throng of girls, Akiko included.

Questions like "Do I look good in this?" and "Or do you think this suits me better?" or "What do you think of this bangle?" got louder and louder, making Manta wishing more and more that he had the ability to evaporate on the spot.

"Er, well, I don't really know…" Manta stammered, fidgeting. "Why do you keep asking me this anyway…?" he mumbled the next part.

"You're a boy, you should know!" one of them protested, and the whole cycle began yet again.

Manta was getting quite desperate, until the form of a burly man appeared at the doorway, his serious expression hushing the crowd of women at once. "My lady," he addressed Lady Akiko respectfully.

"What is it?" Akiko asked.

"Everyone is to gather in the Great Hall immediately," he announced in general. "Michinaga-sama has something to tell us. My lady, if you will." He then gestured for her to walk past him.

Silently, everyone got up, a subdued atmosphere immediately setting in, and made their way to the Great Hall.

_Wonder what happened, _Manta thought, his own sense of dread welling up in him.

A huge crowd waited in the Great Hall, but the atmosphere contained none of the festivities that it had once held during the announcement of Prince Ichijo's and Lady Akiko's marriage. Instead, curious whispers scattered everywhere like rough rustling of leaves, and a few stony faces were displayed, suggesting that they knew what it was all about.

Manta slid humbly to the front where the majority was gathered, recognizing Hao's profile among the group of onmyoji. His expression did not lighten the unrest in the blonde.

Soon, even the whispers stopped. Prince Ichijo and Lord Michinaga entered the hall regally and quickly, their faces dark. Once on top of the podium, Michinaga started to speak.

"Everyone," he rumbled. "I'm afraid I bring bad news. The minister of Central Affairs, Nobunaga, has passed after taking a severe turn for the worse late last night."

Horrified gasps came from everywhere, as the people whispered agitatedly to each other. Several women started crying. "How did he die? Was it poison? Michinaga-sama!" a bold man cried out from the distressed audience.

"The physician cannot be certain. And neither are the other healers." Michinaga explained hurriedly, as though unwilling to put himself in the blame for the mystery surrounding Nobunaga's death. "We are still investigating."

"It's not just Nobunaga," Ichijo added hoarsely. He looked up at the once-again silent crowd, his eyebrows knitted together. "Several of my best guards were found near the secluded area of the gardens… Dead. It probably happened while they were on patrol. They had been mutilated horribly."

The shocking declaration didn't raise whispers from the people this time. Only a stunned silence lingered in the air.

"They were _murdered?_" someone finally gasped, and the whispers, more urgent and appalled, started to spread once more.

"Mutilated…" Manta whispered. Horrible images of decaying, bloody corpses came to his mind, and he shook his head violently to clear them.

Manta lifted his head to look at Michinaga – and froze for a brief second. Michinaga's gaze was directed at _him_, in a sideways glance that no one else saw. The blonde merely stared at him, trying not to break eye contact, or looked guilty. With an unpleasant bump, he recalled the suspicion that had been probably been thrown onto him the night before.

_I…didn't do anything…_

Michinaga looked away at last, allowing Manta to breathe more freely. "I am terribly upset about the multiple losses. Nobunaga was a good minister, and the guards had been the finest. We will be sure to track down the heartless perpetrator behind the attacks on Prince Ichijo's men."

"Will the wedding still be held?" another person called out.

Michinaga and Ichijo exchanged a quick glance before the Fujiwara lord answered. "Yes," he said firmly. "The marriage will be held as originally planned. The light of this disaster cannot affect the occasion."

"More like he'd lose a connection to the royalty if the wedding doesn't pull off," Manta heard someone mutter behind him, only to be shushed quickly by another.

Manta glanced at the other crowd of people sitting in a straight row behind Michinaga, like an official assembly. Yorimichi and Murasaki were there, their faces impassive amongst all the tension and anxiety. The blonde tried not to scrutinize them too openly. The warning from Keiko last night had set off alarm bells in his head.

But one man really caught Manta's attention. Hao's countenance had changed, his head slightly bowed so that anyone taller could not see his facial expression clearly. But Manta's short height provided him a full view of the onmyoji's face.

_Just like in Aokigahara, _Manta remembered the encounter with the worker who had placed the corpse beside him with a shiver. _Cold. Angry. _

"There will be a simple procession in honour of Nobunaga, but it will not be a grand affair," Michinaga's terse voice forced Manta to look back at him. "I trust all of you should know why. You are dismissed."

The abrupt dismissal took everyone aback a little, but they scrambled to obey nevertheless. As Manta filtered out with the crowd, purposefully avoiding Michinaga, he saw Hao also on the way out with the rest of the Asakuras. He said something to one of the onmyoji, who nodded, and Hao separated himself from the rest, going off somewhere alone.

It didn't take Manta long to reach the split-second decision.

* * *

"Wait! _Huff, huff…_ WAIT! Hao-sama!"

The onmyoji stopped, his back still turned towards Manta. The short blonde finally reached him, panting hard.

"H-hao-sama," Manta gasped. "Will you tell me _now _what's going on?"

"I believe I gave you that answer before," Hao answered inexpressively.

Gritting his teeth in frustration, Manta tried to control his temper. "Look," he seethed. "I was really about to try trusting you and just leave this – _whatever it is _– to you. But people have died, Hao-sama! And you're still -"

"I cannot prevent every single misfortune that plagues this household," Hao snapped. "Unlike what everyone seems to think."

If not for Manta's own growing anger, he would've backed off the moment he heard the dangerous edge Hao's voice had developed. As such, he felt no such fear.

"Michinaga-sama is suspecting me, Hao!" Manta shouted, now not even bothering to add the respectful suffix. "He and his son seem to think _I _caused Nobunaga's illness, which I _didn't… _And Keiko-san just warned me last night about Lady Murasaki… She wants to know about me! And you!"

Hao's face went rigid.

Manta continued relentlessly: "I'm in the thick of all of this…stuff…stuff that I – I don't even know what! And I seem to be the only one that is still clueless about everything -"

"Enough," Hao ordered, and this time, Manta did stop.

Hao looked like he was going to break at any moment. His breathing was laboured, his hand was at his heart, and his face – it was already twice that Manta compared it to Aokigahara. Manta shuddered at the anguish and almost terrifying hatred etched onto the onmyoji's facial features.

He received a fresh bout of shock as Hao sunk onto one knee, trembling. "H-hao-sama," Manta began hesitantly, reaching out for him. "Are you ok? What's hap - ?"

"_Enough!_" Hao said with a lot more vehemence and venom, nearly shouting.

Manta pulled back instantly, his heart in his throat. "Go," Hao spoke more quietly, but with the same amount of force pressed onto that single word.

"I'm sorry," was all Manta said before he ran away for the second time in two days.

* * *

_**1999, November. **_

At that very moment, Yoh, Anna, Faust, Ren, Horo Horo, Chocolove, Tamao and Ryu, together with their spirits, had set off on an overnight bus toward Hokkaido, coincidentally the Ainu boy's birth town ("Going to Hokkaido during this season? He better not've incinerated anything in there…" Horo Horo had threatened).

Around 3 hours had passed since they had set off, and it was already past midnight. Almost everyone in the bus was asleep, tired from the long journey and from the random bickers about the confrontation with Hao – this time, on _their _initiative.

It was around 5:30am when they finally reached their destination. What greeted them were pure white plains, with temperate trees such as conifer planted scarcely, thick layers of snow piled upon each branch. All of them tucked in their scarves and jackets, their breaths coming out in puffs of mist. The cold air blew around them, stinging their faces and giving them a good wake-up.

There was a warm little inn opened for tired, worn-out passengers, but despite their shivering from the freezing temperatures, no one stopped to consider lingering any longer.

"Tamao," Anna first spoke, ignoring the stretches and yawns going on behind her, save for one person. "Lead us to him."

"Wonder if he'll even tell us anything," Chocolove muttered.

"We'll know when we get there," Yoh said unexpectedly, his mind still full of questions about Manta's safety. He was the only one that had not slept throughout the journey.

If anyone noticed the most uncharacteristic worry lined on his face, no one commented on it.

"He's in the northwest area of Sounkyo gorge!" Tamao revealed suddenly, glancing up from her Ouija board.

"Soun…?"

"Leave it to me," Horo Horo announced confidently, trying to shake off sleep. "I know this place like the back of my hand! Follow me!"

Even more uncharacteristically, Anna didn't whack him for daring to take charge in _her _presence and followed behind him silently with the rest.

After the exhausting yet refreshing hike on the snowy fields, they soon came to a waterfall which was still flowing steadily down the rocks by a steep gradient, despite the thin sheet of ice that formed over certain parts of the water. The trees around the gorge were abysmally bare, and there was an odd serenity about the place, in its wintry outlook.

"Further in, then turn left," Tamao mumbled, eyes faithfully on her board.

The meeting with Hao now fully imprinted on their minds, everyone started to feel the disquiet welling up in them, and on the guys' part, the natural instincts that prepared them for battle were starting to awaken.

"Don't," Anna warned, tossing a glare at them, as if she had read their minds. "Not now."

"Almost there," Tamao said so softly that the group barely caught it. Their footsteps had become a little more aggressive.

There was an opening through the rock a little way off in front them. Everyone stepped through it, holding their breaths, awaiting the sight before them, and –

Nothing.

The lot of them stopped dead in their tracks. It took a few seconds for anyone to speak. "He's not here," Yoh breathed.

"What's wrong, Tamao?" Anna demanded.

"B-but…!" Tamao stammered, scanning the board desperately. "The sign was so strong just now! I don't know where it – Hao – went!"

"Why?" all of them asked together angrily, causing Tamao to flinch nervously.

"I-I'm sorry…" she apologized miserably.

"Damn!" Ren snarled suddenly, kicking the huge mass of rock near them furiously. "He must've disappeared when he sensed us coming! The little…"

"Now, now," a mock disapproving voice sounded somewhere above them. "It's hardly appropriate for anyone to take out their frustrations on a monument of nature."

The atmosphere took on an abrupt change, filled with an odd electrical charge. All stiffened, and spun their heads upwards.

"Hi there, everyone!" Hao called cheerfully. His hands were folded, his legs crossed, and he was sitting on top of the rock right over their heads – the very picture of nonchalance. "Why don't you come up here and get away from the cold, eh?"

"And get near you? Freezing would be preferable," Anna snapped, glaring right up at the fire shaman.

"Not for you though, Anna. Isn't it?" Hao said, grinning. "What with you being the Ice Queen herself…"

The blonde-haired itako sniffed disdainfully, while the group around her only shifted and casted their gazes elsewhere.

Hao just shrugged and heaved himself off the ground, sending bits of snow falling down around Ren as a result of his sudden movement. The Chinese shaman had to back away, snarling. "Well, the way I see it, you people can either leave right now – seeing as I don't think such a wondrous place deserves any suffering from my fires – or you can come up, and we can get to the point of your rare, lovely visit to me." Hao smiled, it suggesting absolutely nothing but friendly intent. "I think we both know the option to take." He then turned back and disappeared from view, his long brown locks swaying with the winds being the last thing that went out of sight from the disgruntled group of people below.

Yoh gritted his teeth. "Hey, wait!" he shouted after his elder brother, starting to scramble up the steep slabs of rock at the same time.

His actions were like a trigger, and soon the gang was following Yoh's suit. One question, although dulled by sleep and long hours, now suddenly started to burn anew in their minds.

Would Hao bring Manta back?

_**END OF CHAPTER 9**_

* * *

**Author's Note: Well, there you have it. I considered leaving Hao with just one line at the end as a cliffy, but I decided not to make his appearance happen so slowly. XD Any reviews out there? -scans around-  
**


	10. Chapter 10

**Through the Ages chpt 10**

**After over a month of no updates, here I am at last. Enjoy chapter 10, folks.**

**Disclaimer: Nope, no own Shaman King. That's all to it. You'd have to arrest over 8000 people if we ff authors did. **

* * *

_**November, 1999**_

The word "uncomfortable" wouldn't even begin to describe the queer situation the young shamans were in.

Yoh and his friends stood stiffly, occasionally scuffing bits of snow with their feet. Opposite them was Hao, differing from his visitors' stances in the fact that he was instead sitting down leisurely on a boulder, his arms folded complacently. There was nothing on his smiling face that hinted any sign of threat towards the eight arrivals, but the row of people surrounding him indicated otherwise. Hao's followers eyed them hostilely, reminiscent of a cold, silent war ongoing between the frosty stares each side sent to each other.

"Come now." Hao was first to break the ice, shutting his eyes in mock disappointment. "Must we be so unfriendly? It's not usual for us shamans to get time-off from the Fight, and I think that the least we could do is to relax."

"Tell that to your lackeys," Ren muttered, earning him even more ferocious glares, particularly from a certain orange-haired girl, going by the nickname of 'Macchi'.

"_Lackeys?_" she said furiously. The volatile witch had by no means forgotten about their last fight – from which he had emerged as the winner, of course, Ren thought smugly.

"Such an uncivilized term," a bearded, deep-voiced man remarked, looking somewhere torn between annoyance and amusement. "Just as expected from children like them."

"Don't say things like that, Lucifer," Hao chided playfully, his amused gaze never once tearing away from the group in front. "In fact, why don't you go bring everyone inside the house? It looks like my brother has some…personal affairs to share."

Lucifer merely nodded in acquiescence, leading Hao's followers back into the small cabin that stood cozily near them. The devoted faction trailed behind the former X-Law silently, all the while throwing dissatisfying glances at the gang, which most of them returned with enthusiasm. "You too, Opacho," Hao added kindly to the small African child near him.

"We need to ask you something," Yoh rushed on immediately after Hao's underlings had safely retreated into the cabin. Best to get to the point now that they were all here.

"Yes, I figured as much," Hao replied mildly. "It has to do with my Cho Senji Ryakketsu… something like that?"

Yoh didn't stop to wonder how he knew that. "Something…something went wrong with it," he pressed on. "It's Manta, he got sucked into a…a…a black hole of sorts, and we think he probably ended up in a wrong time."

Hao didn't say anything for a moment, before smiling at them again. "Manta? That little human friend of yours who's always tagging you, Yoh?"

"He's disappeared, and we need him back, all right?" Horo Horo barked out. The Ainu, in his agitation, shifted his snowboard over his shoulder roughly.

"Ahhh, no wonder you're all so uptight," Hao said teasingly, jumping off the boulder to land with a small thud on the snow-covered ground. Out of the corner of his eye, Yoh could see his fiancée's left hand twitch, as if resisting the urge to give the fire shaman another taste of her legendary slaps. Yoh wondered how long it would take before her patience broke.

"And?"

The nonchalance, the feigned inquiring puzzlement, and that never-ending amused grin wrapped around that single word certainly pushed everyone's boundaries a few notches further. Anna's hand twitched some more.

"What do you mean, 'and'?" Ren growled, sounding outraged and choked with angry humiliation. "You know what we want!"

"Travelling for such long hours, and yet you refuse to ask the thing you need from me," Hao sighed.

The itako _might _have lashed out by this point, but Yoh, fortunately, butted in. "We want your help in bringing Manta back!" His voice had developed just a hint of determined desperation.

"Of course you do," Hao remarked cheerfully, not answering the plea at all. "Though I wonder what made you attempt such an advanced level of sorcery. Whatever was it that gave you the notion that time travel was a good way to kill all that free time in your hands?"

That was it. The question they had all been dreading. And there was he, staring at them with such an exaggerated interest that no one doubted for a moment that this _boy_ was doing all of it on purpose.

Even the blind would've been able to see that insufferable mocking glint his brown eyes.

"... No answer, eh?"

"Yes, we were trying to kill you," Anna spoke crisply, tossing a dirty glare to her male counterparts, as if miffed by their cowardliness. Her patience was already thin enough in his presence, and Hao was _not _going to get the satisfaction of seeing her own internal enraged embarrassment. "So what? It's not such a big secret that almost every shaman that meets you wouldn't try to get rid of you."

The statement, as she should have expected, had no effect whatsoever on Hao. Instead, it had the opposite impact of widening his already-bright smile, making his amusement so palpable that a fair few of them nearly broke off their struggling resolve to be civil. "Indeed so, Anna. But this must be the first time that such shamans would actually find the need to approach for my assistance in one of their failed attempts to kill me. Interesting."

The only answer was a stony silence.

Another sigh. "All right then."

For a moment, anyone not paying close attention would have thought Yoh to be speaking. Then after realizing where the voice had come from, the group could only gawk in wary disbelief.

"You're…going to help us?" Faust, unexpectedly, asked in a cautious manner. They flicked brief glances towards the doctor, surprised that the normally quiet necromancer had deigned to speak up.

"Correct," Hao agreed, with the usual boyish yet mature brightness that donned his features all too often.

"We were trying to kill you, and you're just going out of your way to do us a favour?" Ryu said disbelievingly.

The fire shaman only chuckled some more at their gob smacked expressions. "Am I so petty? After all, it is my dear brother's friend who's in need of rescuing." Hao's grin then took on a gradual festering of something resembling concentrated, dark interest, which anyone who knew him even remotely well enough would realize that there was more to his intentions. "I think I'm duty-bound as Yoh's aniki to accede to this request."

* * *

_**Heian Period, Japan**_

Whether or not it had been purely his imagination, Manta had the lingering notion that there was something "they" (he wasn't quite sure who) weren't telling the Fujiwara residents. He could pick it up from the little hints these few days, the way he sometimes saw the worried frowns upon the governors' faces and the whispers he occasionally picked up while walking along the corridors. Every time he got near though, they would immediately shut up, or pretend to be doing something else – or so he felt.

And Michinaga had been casting him searching, almost suspicious looks at him during the times they vaguely crossed paths. All Manta could do was to swallow down his indignation and fear, and pretend not to notice.

Trying to pull himself out from his depressing mood, Manta tugged rather violently onto the sashes tied around the gift parcels, which were already wrapped in vibrant-coloured cloths. Gritting his teeth, the blonde tried his best to secure them firmly with as much strength as his small body would allow.

"How is it, Manta? Doing all right?" a young, scruffy man called out to him. He carried the huge bag of winter melons and plums effortlessly as he spoke, gathered painstakingly from the house's storage supplies.

"Just fine, thanks," Manta replied, smiling awkwardly. He had to raise his voice over the noises of scurrying and shifting of goods, as servants and maids hurried to follow the orders barked out by several ladies in-waiting. The crammed space, filled with frantic cries and an all-in-all hassling ambiance, was nearly pandemonium, but the blonde felt strangely comforted by all the hustle and bustle.

The young man shook his head in despair as he struggled to make way for people to squeeze past him. "And to think Michinaga-sama wants to do this for all of his daughters!"

"Be quiet!" another woman scolded. She paused in the middle of packaging strange-looking ornaments into a box, turning her well-donned head up to glare at the man. "Such audacity!" The woman nodded furiously at the ladies in-waiting standing not too far away.

"Ah, relax, they're too busy throwing their weight about, yelling out orders like that… Makes you wonder how they can still sing so prettily in front of His Majesty…"

Manta suppressed a smile as he returned to his own job, the surrounding noise drowning out any remnants of the oncoming argument. This was why he liked helping out with the wedding preparations for Prince Ichijo and Lady Akiko, where he didn't have to spend his days in silence and boredom, since his Heian reports were long completed (and hidden away).

Not to mention that it also kept him from dwelling profusely on that previous incident with Hao…

A high-pitched voice of a young girl sounded somewhere to his left. "Have you heard? Some newcomers are arriving today, probably in the late afternoon…"

"Really? Who?" a small boy piped up curiously, pausing in his own process of tying up the goods.

"Dunno, but I overheard that it's some members of a certain family…"

More for the sake of pushing the memory of the unhappy encounter out of his mind, Manta joined in on their conversation. "Family?"

"Yeah." The girl turned to look at Manta, pleased to have another person as her audience. "They sounded really important, but I don't think they will tell us until the family members come…"

"Where do you hear all this stuff from anyway, Miyo?" the boy questioned, sounding a little miffed.

"I just hear them," the girl said obstinately. "Anyway - " she turned back to Manta. "- the really interesting thing is that they're not from Japan."

"Oh? Where're they're from, then?"

The girl rubbed her head sheepishly. "I didn't manage to hear all of it," she admitted. "They saw me and chased me away as soon as they did."

Manta assumed 'they' meant the governing officials. But the girl had one last thing to add. Leaning forwards, she whispered conspiratorially to Manta and her companion. "This family sounds scary, though. I could tell from their voices. They're scared of the family."

"Miyo! Are you telling one of your stories again?" an elderly, stern-looking woman reprimanded, towering over the three children. "Don't distract the boys and do your work! We've still got much to do!"

"Hai, hai," the girl complied grudgingly. She stood up and walked away, carrying a basket of wrapped gifts, muttering something along the lines of "slave-driver" and "no fun at all". Manta saw the old woman shake her head before also disappearing into the fray.

_Family, huh…_ The words ran through his mind, but other than the family having a frightening reputation and was from another country, there was... Manta brushed his thoughts aside as he wanted to finish packing. After fastening the final bow, Manta stood and piled the things into his arms, trying to look around the stack to find his way.

It was difficult trying to navigate amongst the sea of people, and once again, Manta's short height put him at a disadvantage. After twisting, turning and several close calls, he finally made it outside, panting, to the goods' wooden carriers, where the men would pull them to goodness-knows-where.

"Need some help?"

Manta froze. He twisted his head sharply upwards at the figure standing over him.

"Hao-sama!" someone gasped, and like the flick of a switch, almost all activity ceased as the crowd turned to stare at the renowned onmyoji.

Hao raised his head and smiled slightly at the people. "Don't let me interrupt your work. I've just come to pick someone up."

Mumbles of stammering "hai" rippled through the throng, as they tried to recover from their momentary surprise and confusion, and continued on with their jobs. "Well, Manta?" Hao asked, looking down at him again. "Will you walk with me for a while?"

"Umm…the stuff…" Manta mumbled lamely.

"Can you carry this boy's things to the carts, please?" It took Manta a moment to realize that Hao was addressing a young woman standing near them.

"Y-yes, Hao-sama!" the woman stammered, nearly leaping forwards to relieve Manta of his burden.

"Thanks," Manta said, but the woman didn't appear to have heard him, for she had flounced away as soon as the goods were in her hands. Out of the corner of his eye, Manta saw a huddle of women, whispering behind their hands as they gazed at Hao, rosy blushes tinting across their pale faces. A fan club, indeed.

"Shall we go?" Hao said, standing aside to indicate that Manta walk beside him.

Despite of his gentle tone, there was steadfastness in Hao's voice that left the blonde with no choice but to agree. He nodded uncertainly.

Ignoring the crowd's curious glances, the two of them slid past them and disappeared from sight a few moments later.

* * *

"Are you cold?"

Manta started at the unexpected sound of Hao's voice. They had been walking in silence for the past few minutes, along the pathways covered in thick sheets of snow that had come late the previous night. It was still falling.

"Mm, not really," he replied, shaking his head. It was true. The air felt strangely lukewarm even in the minus-zero temperature and Manta didn't even need to wear his scarf or any woolen jackets that most of the residents wore – but of course, he already knew the reason.

"You don't seem very interested in knowing why."

"Oh," Manta said, brought up short. "Ummm…well, you see…" _Oh, whatever… _he thought. "Must be because of you, I guess, since you're a shaman and all…"

"True," Hao said, a tinge of amusement seeping through. "I was wondering why you lacked your usual curiosity to ask me why you still felt so warm in such cold weather, even during that trip to Aokigahara."

_I knew it. He really is on to me. _Manta groaned inwardly.

To his relief, Hao changed the subject, although not to a less awkward one. "I shouldn't have raised my voice to you the other day. I'm sorry," Hao apologized, inclining his head towards the boy.

"O-oh, um…" Thrown by the sincerity in the onmyoji's tone, Manta fumbled for words. "That's ok… I started it in the first place..."

His voice trailing off into silence again, Manta cast a tentative glance at the onmyoji, trying to read his expression. The blonde thought Hao's orbs held a rather pensive look, though the other features of his face were kept carefully blank. It was an expression that was becoming familiar to him, and once again led him to reflect on how very different this Hao was from the one in the future.

But try as he might, Manta couldn't shake off the foreboding that coursed through him as he remembered the form that Hao had taken on the other day. The flicker of insanity that resided in those eyes had pulled his mind forcefully back to the modern-day Asakura Hao, in whom the old hatred sometimes flared whenever he was displeased.

It had scared Manta back then. In the Heian era, it was no different. But it was really much worse, because Manta had already seen a side to this Hao that he never knew existed, a side that Manta had unconsciously come to like, albeit cautiously.

Damn. Everything was so confusing. Everything would make so much more sense if Manta just knew what exactly was happening to him, the thing that would riddle the onmyoji with so much pain that it was enough to bring the infamous Asakura Hao to his knees.

So deep Manta was into his inner turmoil that he failed to notice where they were heading until Hao drew to a stop.

"The snow is late this year," Hao said quietly, reaching out a hand to let some of the white bits fall into his palm.

"…Yeah, I think so too." Without thinking, Manta stretched out one, single finger for a snow fragment to land gently onto his digit. There was no one around apart from the two of them.

"But the snow seems to be coming down more heavily than usual," Manta added, his gaze going around in circles as he scanned the area around them. The deserted compound was covered in purest white, the thick blanket covering bare tree branches and the roofs of the various sections of the Fujiwara household.

Manta shifted a little, his feet making a slight, crunching sound as they grazed against the snow, which nearly enveloped the entire outside of his shoes. On impulse, he said, "You know, my mother used to say that, flowers that bloom late in the year often turn out to be the most beautiful of all."

Almost immediately after the words left his mouth, Manta blushed. That had been a very random thing to say, even stupid… Perhaps the snowfall, silent in their descent, made him feel tranquil, almost melancholy, enough to compel foolish thoughts and yearnings to be spoken aloud.

But Hao didn't react. He smiled, sadly, at the sky. "Funny. Someone used to say things like that to me as well."

"Who?" Manta couldn't help asking.

"My mother." Hao didn't turn to look at Manta, but rather, kept his gaze fixed above him, unheeding of the snow flitting down his face and also onto his long, greyish hair.

"Your mother?" Manta echoed, not bothering to hide his surprise. Up till now, the blonde had never considered asking after Hao's personal relationships, or even gave it any thought… No doubt it would have felt audacious and embarrassing, but this time, under the soothing presence of winter, it seemed more natural to raise the topic.

"Her favourite season was winter," Hao said, still not looking at the boy behind him. "Mine was spring." He then let out a soft laugh. "As a child, I used to attempt all kinds of ways to change her preference to mine, since I thought a mother and her son should share everything together."

Manta paused, unsure of how to proceed. If anyone had ever told him he would be listening to Hao's life story firsthand in the future (kind of), he would've either scoffed or thought the person high on drugs.

"What happened to her?" he asked carefully.

"She died," Hao replied. His voice, tinged with sorrow, became somewhat brusque.

"Oh." _No wonder, _he thought sadly. _In a time like this, diseases must be rampant… _

"It wasn't disease that killed her."

Manta's eyes widened and his head shot up, opening his mouth but at a momentary loss for words.

"Can you read minds or something?" The question, automatic and entirely unintentional, came blabbering out of his mouth, and into the air between them.

Then, coming to his senses quite abruptly, Manta gasped and clapped a hand over his mouth. "Sorry, I-I mean…" he stammered. "It's just that… well…"

Hao turned, and might have given Manta something resembling a smile, if it wasn't his imagination in overdrive once more. "I promise you, Manta, I will find a way to send you back home – to your own time."

"H-Hah?"

Hao's smile turned more teasing as he glimpsed the fretfulness on the blonde's face. "I know you miss your home. And your friends too, if I'm not mistaken."

_Bingo. _

Completely unnerved, Manta could only stare back at the onmyoji. It was rather…scary…

"Have you…have you made any, ah, progress?" Manta asked, trying to keep his mind calm and nerves under control.

"A bit. But I think perhaps your friends from the future are trying to contact you as well." Idly, Hao rubbed a single white particle between his thumb and forefinger, apparently fascinated at how fast it melted.

"Really?" Manta exclaimed, perking up at once. "How do you know?"

"There was some spiritual pressure when I had finished with some part of it," Hao explained. "Perhaps coming from the other side, as you may call it."

"So, you've finished the whole spell already?" Manta asked eagerly.

Hao smiled wryly. "I am not that much of a miracle-worker. I said I only completed part of it, but the rest still remains to be seen.

"But," he added, lowering his hand. He turned his back to Manta, and then let his head slide to the side, his eyes on Manta. "I will get it done. As you may believe so firmly in me for that fact."

Manta didn't want to think about what the last statement implied. "Anyway," he started to say determinedly. "I think I already have an idea what is going on – some part of it."

It was rather rash of him, risking to destroy whatever amendment of their liaison that had occurred in the past half an hour or so. But Manta wanted to imply something else to Hao - that whatever the onmyoji might say or do, it was not going to stop him from finding out the truth if he could. With bated breath, he waited to see the man's reaction.

Hao looked at him, his expression blank, an art Manta knew he had mastered skillfully over the years. He merely stared at the blonde, his head almost fully bent to make eye contact with the small boy.

Then, to Manta's multiple-timed (was there even such a word?) astonishment, Hao smiled again, although perhaps rather ruefully. "I always knew Keiko was too soft-hearted for her own good," he said.

Manta barely had enough time to comprehend the frightening power that he _thought_ he had already witnessed from Hao, when a smaller figure, sleek and almost aloof, padded its way towards the pair.

"Hao-sama," Matamune greeted, inclining his head towards Manta as well.

"Matamune?" Manta said, surprise overtaking his momentary trepidation a while ago.

Manta saw Hao tilting his head towards the cat in an inquiring gesture. "News, Matamune?"

"Yes." The brown cat looked directly at the two of them. "They are here."

* * *

Much to Manta's irritation, Hao and Matamune refused to tell him who "they" were, apart from the infuriating "You'll see" when he asked the question.

Once they had returned to the busier area near the wedding preparations' rooms, they saw governors and rigid-looking guards lurking outside a door that belonged to the Northern Branch, Michinaga's committee of advisors, as Manta had read in his textbook. The governors' faces were pale.

Upon seeing the three (two, Manta corrected himself, since Matamune had been made invisible) figures coming their way, the ministers jumped, but immediately rallied at once. "Good afternoon, Hao-sama," all of them murmured in unison.

"They are inside?" Hao asked, turning his head towards the closed door.

"Y-yes," one of the governors answered, casting a wary glance at the door. "Michinaga-sama is seeing them right now."

"It was a rather drastic measure on Michinaga-sama's part, is it not?" Hao said, turning back to gaze at the ministers. "To get them to come all the way here for this mission?"

The ministers shifted, apparently also uneasy with the mysterious arrangement. "It cannot be helped," another governor muttered. "Things have gone far enough. They have been too many accidents, too many deaths. And yesterday, Prince Ichijo's mother nearly fell into the deep river outside the Fujiwara - "

"What? More people died?" Manta asked, aghast, before he could stop himself.

Several pairs of eyes shot their gazes towards him, but Manta was too horrified to react appropriately this time.

"More of Prince Ichijo's men," the governor said at last. "A stirrup yesterday broke, and nearly tossed Prince Ichijo's honourable mother into the river from her carriage. And…" His voice trailed off.

"And?" Hao asked.

The governor fidgeted. "And just two days ago, a…what seemed to be a human finger appeared in Lady Akiko's soup during mealtime, and no one knew how. The poor lady received a huge shock."

"She must have," Hao remarked softly.

Manta swallowed. Human body parts in _soup_. He wanted to vomit.

Who on earth had a sick mind enough to do this?

Suddenly, the rumble of voices coming from inside the room gave way to a huge commotion. To Manta's huge shock, a man flew out from the room and onto the snowy ground outside, through a nearly-broken door that bounced off from the wall from the impact.

"W-w-wha??" Manta blubbered, his body stiff and his eyes as wide as dinner plates.

The ministers' expressions artfully mirrored the one on the blonde's face, as they stared at the seemingly unconscious man lying on the snow. The scene was almost comical to any outsider's point of view.

"LI!" a man's voice, loud, booming and authoritative (not Michinaga's) directed everyone's bewildered stares to the inside of the room. "Behave yourself, whelp!"

"It's not my fault," a nonchalant, completely remorseless voice sounded in reply. The voice seemed to belong to a younger boy. "He was really going on about himself, how _capable _he was, and how _dangerous _we were…"

"With you around, anyone sane will reach that conclusion," a young man commented bemusedly.

"That hurts my feelings, aniki…"

As if suddenly aware of their new audience, the crowd of men turned around to stare at the gawking people outside. But what freaked out Manta most was the boy who was obviously guilty of somehow throwing the unfortunate man out of the room.

He had yellow eyes. Dark blue hair. Even a small, spiky upturn of hair at the back of his head that had given someone, whom Manta was rather familiar with, the trademark…

"I planned on introducing these newcomers to all of you in a more…dignified manner, but just as well," Michinaga's dry voice came from the front of the room. Manta saw him shake his head in resignation. "Gentlemen, the Tao family will be here for as long as it takes for their mission to be fulfilled. They will be in charge of hunting down the culprit responsible for these despicable acts."

_**END OF CHAPTER 10**_

* * *

**Author's Note: Well, there you have it. Did you all like the new characters at the end? **

**Now you'll have to wait till my prelims are over, which won't be until early September, for an update. This chapter was churned out with difficulty (one word – homework), although it ended off quicker than I expected. **

**In any case, many thanks to the people who've reviewed! (so many of you have been with me since chapter 1 ). **

**So remember to do so for this chapter as well. XD **


	11. Chapter 11

**Through the Ages chpt 11**

**Hmmm… early September stretched to late September. Apologies to everyone who was kept waiting. Unfortunately, after this, you're going to have to wait till my O levels are done. Exams never end, do they? **

**On with it! **

**Disclaimer: I only own the Shaman King VCDs. No more, no less.**

* * *

The Tao family was in front of him. Not the Taos that Manta knew – but rather, the Taos' ancestors. _Tao Ren's _ancestors.

Everything made sense all of a sudden.

How could he not have guessed? He should have known from the start when Miyo told him her story… The journey with Yoh to rescue their new-found friend had been more than enough to tell him that the Taos had had a long legacy of bloodshed, fear and dominance. They were from China, they were feared, they were frightening.

Who else could it have been?

The short pause was stifling, though Manta barely noticed it, being so absorbed in his own flabbergast that he could only managed a wide-eyed stare.

"So small," a voice piped up unexpectedly. Jolted, Manta's eyes swiveled to the young, uncanny Ren look-alike.

"S-s-small?!" Manta sputtered intelligently.

The boy, instead of looking abashed at his own rudeness, only grinned upon seeing the furious blush and heated indignance forming across the blonde's face. "Small," he affirmed petulantly, with all the wisdom of an old sage.

"W-w-w-what?!" The blonde now resembled a minuscule volcano, roaring and trembling to erupt.

"Stuttering, too," the boy added far too mischievously for Manta's taste.

_So rude!! _

In his own embarrassment and outrage, Manta didn't hear the small cough of amusement that came from Hao, who was standing beside him. The sharper ones in the room did, though.

"Hao-sama!" the boy exclaimed with mock admiration and overwhelming reverence, as if just spotting the god who granted him all his wishes. "You look as dashing as ever!" He ended off with a deep bow.

It was a good thing that Manta (and the other governors dwelling in the room, for that fact) wasn't eating or drinking anything at that time, for he felt certain he would not have been able to keep them in the relative safety of his mouth.

"Why, thank you, Li," the onmyoji replied calmly, the small trace of laughter in his voice evident as he glanced at the much smaller boy beside him out of the corner of his eye. His amusement was only enhanced by the slackened jaw on the short blonde's face.

"Calm yourself, brat," a man reprimanded. He could only be the boy's father and the head of the Tao family. With his assured, commanding gait, he looked rather bored at his son's antics, apparently far too used to them.

"Hai, Father," the boy complied lazily, obviously only saying it out of habit and with no expectations of fooling anyone.

Michinaga cleared his throat, trying to bring their attention back on the matter at hand. "As I was saying, they will be staying here until the culprit is caught, so I expect everyone to…treat them properly." There seemed to be a more somber meaning to the last three words, but no one dared comment on it.

"Well, I think introductions are in order," Michinaga continued, with an attempt at lightness. "For my governors' bene…fit…" He let the last word trail off as his eyes strayed to Manta, who was still red in the face.

"Oh, um… I'll just…be going then…" Manta reassured quite dazedly, still trying to clear his mind.

"Never mind," the lord's resigned voice halted him as he made for the door. "It is just as well that you and the rest of the household know their names anyway."

"Tao Long. It's a pleasure," the father said in his deep, gruff voice, inclining his head slightly.

"Call me Jin," the younger man in about his early twenties introduced himself. His language and what seemed to be a recently-matured voice was expressed in a careless, lazy way. His light-brown hair looked wind-blown and messy. "The second son of the Taos. Nice to meet you."

"And I'm Tao Li," the navy blue-haired boy spoke up, a mischievous, fun-loving glint lighting up his eyes. "The youngest son, just in case you want to know."

Some of the governors fumbled for words for a while, apparently uncertain of how to react to such a … proper introduction to one of the most feared assassin families. "It's a pleasure," they murmured in the end.

The boy named Tao Li turned his gaze onto Manta quite unexpectedly, and bent forward. "And your name is?" His tone was teasing, but pleasant. It unsettled Manta even more than the first time he conversed with Hao, amazingly enough.

"Ah...er…" Manta stammered.

_My name! _His mind screamed. Feeling the need to take things as slowly and formally as he could, he managed to muster out, "My name's Oyamada Manta."

"Oyamada…Manta…" Li rolled the name around his tongue. "Heh. Weird. Never heard of anyone having a name like it."

Then he smiled. His friendly aura strangely warmed Manta to him, despite the discomfort that still churned persistently within. Tao Li just looked so much like his descendant, Ren.

Yet, their personalities were as different as night and day. Maybe that's why Manta found it so…unnervingly odd. Yes, perhaps that was the way to describe it.

"Really great getting to know you, Manta," Li said brightly, his demeanor easy and relaxed. "Maybe we'll hang out some other time, eh?"

* * *

"You know them?" Manta fired off the moment they were alone.

After they had been dismissed by Lord Michinaga, the governors had shuffled off back to their duties while the Taos had been led to their quarters – Manta didn't know where - by a trembling female servant. Matamune had slunk off somewhere, probably to nap. And now, pacing alongside with Hao as they walked back to the main sections, the blonde was finally free to get some answers.

"Mm," Hao said. His hair swayed slightly to the side as the wind blew around the house. "I was assigned to China for some work when I met the Tao family. It was a good thing I had their assistance to grant me easy passage through some difficult areas – as I've explained to Michinaga already."

"Difficult areas?"

"Places where people aren't usually welcomed," Hao replied, by way of explaining. "A lot of parts in China aren't easily accessible by just anyone."

Privately, Manta wondered what the Tao family had done to give Hao an "easy passage", but following his better judgment, he decided not to ask.

"Don't worry," Hao remarked matter-of-factly, glancing sideways at Manta with an ironic upturn of lips. "They didn't kill anyone to do that – they do not have to. Even the Chinese emperors defer to them at times."

"Oh – right," Manta mumbled.

A brief pause passed for a moment before either of them spoke again. "Well? Did you like him?" Hao inquired pleasantly.

"Who?" Manta couldn't help asking, although he had a fairly good idea of who he was referring to.

"Tao Li." Hao spoke the name with the air of someone recalling something very fond and amusing at the same time.

"Err…yeah, I suppose…" Manta's voice held certain, well, uncertainty. He supposed that Tao Li had been rather pleasant, in his own, chirpy - if not bizarre - way. However, he couldn't pretend that he wasn't disconcerted by the boy's excessive exuberance.

They were _assassins, _for goodness' sake.

It didn't help that he was almost a perfect replica of Ren, of course, being his ancestor and all… His irrational mind had screamed that it just wasn't possible for two people to look so alike and yet act so wholly _different_. Li was almost like a complete parody of the (…original?) Tao Ren of the future.

Thinking back on it, Manta was beginning to see the comical side of the personality warp. He felt his lips quirk involuntarily.

His previous frenzied thoughts were all absolute nonsense, anyway. All one had to do was to look at Hao and Yoh, and they wouldn't be carrying that argument for a long time with _any _one.

"So they're going to stay here until the culprit behind the attacks is caught?" he asked.

"Yes." Manta wasn't looking at the taller man, so he didn't see him frown slightly in almost irritation, before it passed quickly.

Resignedly, the blonde knew better than to start pestering Hao directly for information, unless he wanted to get them into another argument which would only end up in open-ended fear and frustration.

"They are not what I would call safe people, just so you know," Hao warned, this time causing the blonde to look up at him. "But they are very much reclusive, so treating the Taos akin to that of a sleeping dragon would be…advisable."

_Too true_, Manta couldn't help thinking wryly.

Hao let an equally dry smile spread across his features.

* * *

By the time Manta entered the residents' fray again, it seemed that almost everyone had already known about the arrival of the Tao family. Unsurprisingly, Manta observed that the people spoke in suspicious whispers and cast furtive looks at both him and Hao.

It was rather astounding how fast news could spread even without the use of media devices.

As Hao bade Manta farewell once they had reached the preparation rooms, the blonde had the impression that it was only the onmyoji's presence that restrained the people from badgering him for information on the Taos. Sure enough, once Hao had gone, everyone practically leaped onto the smaller boy and started talking all at once:

"How did they look like?"

"_What _are they like?"

"Were they scary?"

"Is it true that the Tao family's going to go after that murderer?"

"Were they friendly?" (Someone got a particularly loud 'bop' on the head for that question, judging from the faint swears Manta had heard.)

Sweating from the sudden turmoil that now swarmed around him like bees (or it could have been partly from the heat radiating off from the condensed crowd of bodies), Manta tried his best to explain what he had seen and all of what Michinaga had said without getting squashed. But no matter what he said, the people continued to press him relentlessly for more, as if unsatisfied with the lack of grandeur upon the arrival of the renowned Tao family.

Just as Manta was starting to become annoyed with their constant pestering, a sudden hush swept across the crowd, followed by an immediate parting in the middle to reveal a man standing at the entrance of the room.

"Yorimichi-sama!" several women cried out together, obviously overwhelmed by the arrivals of two noble men in just within a few hours.

Said person merely smiled disarmingly. "There is really no need for the excitement," Yorimichi said. "The Tao family will only be here for a short while until the killer is caught, and neither will they be making many public appearances – which would suit many of our tastes."

Some of the crowd shifted uneasily as they murmured amongst themselves. Manta, though, just stared at the man before him with a vague hint of irritation in his eyes. He barely knew any of the Taos, but perhaps because he already had a future Tao as an ally – a precious _nakama – _the blonde didn't much like what Yorimichi was implying. It was as if he was trying to set the entire household against the Tao family before having even met them in person.

Or maybe he was just being prejudiced. After Matamune's warnings…

"Why would Michinaga-sama trust them? Yorimichi-sama," someone finally mustered up enough courage to ask the one question everyone was dying to be answered.

"I wouldn't know that," Yorimichi replied, much to everyone's surprise. "Perhaps he feels it to be the last resort to deal with this killer. There have been incidents, as you can recall."

Some of the women's faces turned slightly pale, and Manta hazarded a guess that Yorimichi was talking about the time when Lady Akiko found a human finger in her soup.

"After all - " Yorimichi's smile almost bordered on a smirk, " - the only way to deal with monsters is to have another monster defeat it."

"You don't know that."

Many of the people gasped as all eyes pivoted towards the small form, apparently stunned at his nerve to question an aristocrat's words. Manta stood defiantly in front of Yorimichi, with his arms locked firmly at his sides and his fists clenched.

"Oh? Do care to elaborate, Manta-kun," Yorimichi said silkily, raising one hand in a gesture of invitation.

Despite the blush that was starting to form across his face, the blonde swallowed and continued. "T-that's too judgmental, isn't it? Just because they're…assassins, doesn't mean that they should be treated like complete monsters."

"You'll have to come up with a more convincing argument, Manta-kun," Yorimichi replied with a trace of playful condescension. "Assassins are killers. They exist by robbing human life – for nothing more than _money_. Do you understand? They make a living out of murder."

"You need people who _aren't _assassins to help them make a living," Manta snapped.

Silence weighed heavily upon the entire room. The onlookers hardly dared to breathe, waiting for Yorimichi's next move, blown by the unbelievable impertinence of this boy. Yet, many were secretly awed at his daring to voice out his blatant opposition against the Fujiwara son.

To their astonishment, Yorimichi relaxed his dark stare, and even gave a small smile as if satisfied. "How insightful," he said.

* * *

A quick, official introduction to the Tao family followed later the next day, this time in front of all the Fujiwara residents. There were no words of welcome, no pleasantries exchanged between Michinaga and the Taos, and definitely no smiles either. Dismissal came merely after a few minutes of announcing names and a few words to explain the Taos' presence. Manta watched as the Taos left swiftly before the household did, noticing the wariness and fear present on all of their faces as their gazes followed the Taos out of the room.

But if Manta thought he wouldn't be seeing Tao Li any time soon yet, he was sincerely wrong.

"Yo!" the violet-haired boy greeted, leaning casually against the door to Manta's room, a cheery grin spread across his youthful face.

"T-Tao Li," Manta stammered, stopping dead. "How did you…?"

"Know where you sleep? It's not that difficult to get information around here," Li replied. He heaved himself off the door and took a few steps towards the much shorter blonde. "Especially since everyone knows who I am now." Tao Li let his smile take on a more mischievous look.

Manta laughed nervously, and then stopped quickly. "Um, was there anything you wanted?"

Li shrugged. "Not really. Just felt bored." The boy then bent down slightly to take a closer look at Manta, his smile fading a little. "You're not really _that_ afraid of me, are you?"

"Er… Well no, I guess, not really…" Manta fumbled for words. It was true, sort of anyway. He didn't think he was scared of him, or any of the Taos for that matter. Just unsure and…uneasy.

Li was quiet for a while, and then relaxed into his light-hearted manner again. "That's good," he said. "Lots of people are too afraid to get near me, and it gets really boring like that."

Manta only managed a half-smile. "Do you want to come in?" He pointed to his door.

"Hm, thanks, but it's really nice out," Li answered. "How about we go to the roof?"

"R-roof? But – HEY! Wait!" Manta's words turned quickly to squawks of protest as Li started dragging him in the other direction without waiting for his answer.

The smaller boy was no match for the assassin's surprising strength (Li was actually rather small-built), and they passed by a few Fujiwara residents who could only stare fearfully and almost pityingly as Li pulled Manta along without much visible effort.

It wasn't until the duo reached another deserted compound, covered completely in white, did they finally stop. "H-h-here?" Manta managed to wheeze out.

"Not yet," Li said cheerfully. He took a few steps backward, his face set in a self-assured sort of determination.

"W-woah, wait, what are… YEEAAAARGGGHH!!" his gabbled words gave way to a high-pitched screech as the assassin sent both of them parachuting into the sky before landing expertly onto the snowy roof after an almost superhuman jump. The blonde, whose landing wasn't as smooth, stumbled around wildly, shrieking half-heartedly all the while.

He ceased abruptly as Li yanked him upright, and sat him down just as firmly on his rear. As Manta gasped to regain glorious, icy breath, the violet-haired boy chuckled loudly. "You really freak out the whole way, huh?"

"That – that was…" Manta gasped, gulping in another bout of fresh air. "NUTS!"

"What? Jumping onto the roof?" Li asked innocently. "Tch, this was nothing. I've done it a thousand times back home in China." He then proceeded to flop down onto his back with his hands behind his head, the snow crunching beneath his weight.

Fortunately, the boy was kind enough to leave Manta alone to get back his breath and heart rate to normal. After a few moments, as Manta's breathing resumed a calmer pace, he began to take notice of his surroundings. The snowfall had stopped for the moment, the sun had come out, but everything else below them was in the purest white. On the rooftop, overlooking the gardens, he saw that the lake was frozen, its surface glinting beautifully now and then as it reflected the weak sunlight. There were a lot more barren trees on this side of the estate, their many branches creaking under the weight of the frost. Maybe that was why sound from the main Fujiwara quarters was blocked out, because there was only tranquil silence all around.

It was cold, certainly, but pleasantly so. Manta's hugged his knees to his chest, watching his breath come out in misty puffs.

"So, Manta," Li began. "Where're you from? I heard that you were found unconscious outside this house."

The blonde stiffened. "Er, Funbari Hill in, ah, Timbuktu. You've probably never heard of it," he added quickly.

"I haven't. What was it? You suffered from starvation or something? You haven't got any family?"

"Um, yeah…" Manta squirmed. "Eh, how about you?" he diverted hastily. "You've only got a father and a brother here with you?"

Li sighed, scratching his nose with one hand. "Yeah," he replied. "I've got a mother, some sisters, my eldest brother, and my grandfather waiting at home though. No females here."

"Why?"

"Why? Women are supposed to stay home and look after the house, of course," Li said, looking surprised at the question. "Father always discourages them from travelling abroad unless they really need to."

Manta shifted. _Oh yeah,_ he thought. _Ancient times. _Not knowing what else to say, he chose to remain silent, but Li, on the other hand, didn't seem to want to pass up the chance to make a new friend. "I heard you went against Yorimichi yesterday," he said.

"H-heh?!" Manta's mouth fell open. "How did you…"

"Oh trust me," Li replied airily. "I hear these things. Anyway, those people weren't keeping very quiet about it. You've been the talk of the town since yesterday's incident."

"I-I have?" the blonde stammered, a smudge of pink painted across his cheeks. He wrung his hands together desperately.

"Hm," Li nodded affirmatively, grinning all the while. "The puny kid going against the noble Yorimichi-sama! Imagine!"

Manta blushed further, this time turning a bright shade of red that would've made an apple envious. "Well…what exactly have they been saying?" Manta asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

Li shrugged again. "Usual stuff. You know,_ 'unbelievable, so exciting, such audacity, how preposterous, how terrifying'…"_ He recited in a high-pitched imitation of excited females that was uncannily accurate. Tao Li finished off with a loud laugh.

Manta, though, was now wishing for an avalanche to come bury him beneath a whole wad of snow. Preferably six feet thick. "I didn't mean it like that," he moaned, shaking his head at the memory. "Now my low profile has flown out of the window…"

"Really? But I'm pretty glad, you know," Li interjected. He sat up abruptly, an odd look coming over his face.

"What?"

"This is the first time that someone was willing to defend the Taos – in front of everyone too, mind you," Li explained, his thousand-watt smile bearing down at Manta. "Should I say 'thanks' then?"

Manta fidgeted with the hem of his traditional garb. "Not really," he mumbled. "It's just that, well…since I already know someone…"

The smile vanished from Li's face for a moment. "Huh?"

"Never mind," Manta said quickly. He looked up at the sky. "Hey, it's starting to snow again!"

And so it was. White flakes came down in drifts, bits piling up in their hair almost immediately. Gazing upon the snowy grounds, Manta was suddenly seized by another impulsive urge, this time to do something…fun. "You know," he started to say, eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. "With all this snow, we can make snowmen out of it."

"Snow…men?" Li echoed slowly. His yellow eyes scrunched up as he pronounced the unfamiliar word.

"Yeah. In my hometown, a lot of children usually make snowmen when the snowfall gets really thick. We gather up snow and make them into a huge ball – " Manta waved his hands in a circular motion, " – and with another smaller ball at the top for the head. Then we stick, say, twigs for hands, and maybe carrots for the nose, and coals for the eyes."

Li's yellow orbs brightened. "So, we're making a human out of snow?" he said, his tone clearly expressing interest.

"Kind of, I suppose," Manta answered, pleased at the reception of this little bit of modern culture. "Do you want to make one?"

"Definitely." Li practically radiated childish excitement, and Manta had to suppress a laugh at the sight. Oh, he was never going to see Tao Ren the same way again.

But the two boys barely landed on the ground (the thick blanket of snow cushioned Manta's fall) when a new arrival interrupted the beginning of their game. "Keiko-san?" Manta turned in surprise.

"She's your maid?" Li asked quizzically, looking upon the rather breathless young woman curiously.

"Well, not quite…" Manta trailed off as he took notice of the almost desperate, shaky countenance of the young maid. Worry settled in almost instantly. "What's wrong?"

Keiko swallowed, and cast an unsure glance at Li, apparently uncomfortable of having to say whatever she had to Manta in front of him. "Hai, hai," Li sighed, holding his hands up in a gesture of surrender. "I'll scram and leave you to it."

"Sorry," Manta said weakly as Li sauntered off. The Chinese boy waved a hand without turning to look back at him.

As soon as he was gone, Manta faced Keiko once more, foreboding starting to develop in the pits of his stomach as the maid started to gulp. Conflict was written clearly across her face. "What's wrong?"

Keiko licked her lips, cracked from the cold, and finally opened her mouth. "Manta," she began tremulously. "Lady Murasaki wanted me to do something."

* * *

Manta's mouth was open, his eyes glassy. It wasn't the first time for him to have that kind of look. It happened all the time around Yoh, the Shaman Fight, Yoh's friends, Shaman Fight, and Yoh again.

But then, he had been a mere onlooker, someone who watched as the fights (or games, as the future Hao so cheerfully dubbed them as) unfolded. The group always handled everything, every conflict that came their way, and Manta just watched, unable to do anything. That was precisely the thing that frustrated him on many nights, although he would never have confessed them to anyone – it had been much too confusing and painful.

Yet, everything became scary as he realized he, for inexplicable reasons, had suddenly become part of that game. Only that this game was a tad different from all the ones he had been spectator to in the past/future.

"What does Lady Murasaki want you to do?" Manta couldn't help having her to repeat.

"Manta," Keiko said with a near pleading note in her voice. "Do not make me betray my mistress one more time. The lady wants me to tell the other maids – she knows that you and I are close – that you can see ghosts."

"But _why_?"

"I don't know, I really don't," Keiko replied, agitated. "But the fact is that she wants me to spread rumours that you can see spirits and demons and monsters. She wants me to discredit you, Manta. And she even – " Keiko swallowed " – wants me to encourage rumours that – that _you _are the cause of the recent spate of events. She ordered me to inform the people that there have been actually more deaths than previously announced."

"Events? You mean the deaths that have been occurring?" Manta's voice started to rise.

Keiko couldn't help a gasp. "You – you mean," she stuttered. "They're _true_? There were more people who died? But… how do you…"

"I heard it when I was with Hao," Manta muttered distractedly. "Michinaga-sama probably hushed it up because of the wedding, I don't know, but it was bound to get out anyway…"

The maid, now at a loss for words, only stared at him, her expression reflecting the blonde's own mental state.

"You – you've come to warn me, then?" he eventually asked, the question sounding rather lame.

Keiko closed her eyes. "Yes," she whispered. "I cannot… I just…" She shook her head.

Manta, despite his own predicament, began to feel sympathy for her. Poor Keiko, torn between her care for him and her loyalty to her mistress. "Thanks a lot, Keiko," he said gratefully. "For warning me. That was…nice. Of you, I mean," the boy added stupidly at the end.

Keiko managed a tiny, watery smile that vanished quickly. "Manta… Perhaps it is cowardly of me to ask you this… But I really hope that you will not tell anyone that I…" She broke off, not needing any more words to voice her fears.

"Oh, don't worry!" Manta assured her quickly, waving his hands in a jerky manner. "I wouldn't dream of saying anything about this. But, erm, does Hao-sama know about this?"

"He… I cannot be sure… But maybe he does, to a certain extent. He told me that he 'knew about everything' when I tried to tell him about something like this."

"Oh… Right. Anyway, thanks again, Keiko-san. I think I need to… Well, I need to think about this." Manta paused, before turning around abruptly. "See you then." With a last awkward parting gesture, the blonde waved and jogged back the main section, his thoughts whirling and focused on one destination – his room, thankfully private and empty.

* * *

Darkness came quickly, activities stopping earlier than normal due to the shorter winter days. Many retired to their rooms, and with the Lady Akiko's and Prince Ichijo's wedding in nearly two weeks' time, most of the people sank into peaceful slumber easily after another busy day.

In one, forbidden area belonging to the aristocrats, however, sleep was the last thing on their minds.

The young maid let a another pained cry escape her dry lips as a blow landed yet again upon her. Her real perpetrator, though, was not the ruthless soldier torturing her with the long horse whip, but the man standing calmly before her, watching the scene with cold indifference.

The man finally signaled almost lazily to his man to cease the beatings, leaving the woman gasping and limp from fatigue. "Well, Keiko?" Yorimichi said. "Have you got anything to say for yourself?"

"Nothing that will make a difference, sir," Keiko answered feebly, powerless against the tight ropes that bounded each of her wrists against a wooden pole.

The soldier snarled at her impudence, but Yorimichi merely waved him away with two fingers. The crowd of armed men stood erect at the sides of the room, observing silently.

Yorimichi smiled. "True," he remarked cruelly. "Nothing you say will make a difference. You will be punished for your disloyalty to my sister – and me, for that fact – no matter what you tell me now. But - " He lowered himself from his considerable height to grasp her chin with his fingers, forcing her to look at him, " – I can, perhaps, make it a little easier for you. Repent, admit your mistake, and carry out what your mistress told you to do. I assure you that I will be more lenient on you."

Keiko remained silent.

"Come now, Keiko," the aristocrat coaxed. "It is not hard. Is it worth doing this to yourself for the sake of one boy?"

The maid, although trembling and frightened, mustered all her courage to look resolutely at Yorimichi. "My apologies, Yorimichi-sama," she whispered firmly. "I cannot."

The young man gazed at her for a few seconds before dropping her chin with one cold, careless motion. "So be it. Men," he commanded.

"Yes, sir!" His soldiers stood at attention in an instant.

"Take good care of this woman," Yorimichi said. "She's all yours for tonight."

The soldiers blinked, and then grinned maliciously at each other and Keiko before stepping toward her menacingly.

Keiko's eyes widened, her hair standing on all ends as she suddenly regained renewed, desperate strength to struggle violently against her bindings. "NO!" she screamed, terror overtaking all her senses.

"Take her and get out of my sight," Yorimichi ordered calmly.

"Yes sir!" the unified cry of all the men was now filled with uncontrolled, vicious glee as they pulled the horrified woman roughly from their master's room to other empty quarters nearby.

As the doors shut with a bang, the muffled sounds of screams and excited, raucous laughter echoed horrifyingly around the room.

_**END OF CHAPTER 11**_

* * *

**Author's Note: … Not hard to imagine what they're going to do to Keiko. :( **

**Not a lot of Hao in this. No Yoh and his group from the future either, because I decided not to feature them just yet. But Tao Li's fun to write. XD **

**Enjoyed the chapter? Hated it? Leave a review then. Constructive criticism appreciated. **


	12. Chapter 12

**Through the Ages chpt 12  
**

**At long, long, long last… my finals are over. Now I have about two months to kick back and relax before Feb 2009, when another phase of nightmare begins in college. After nearly two months (again) of total dead silence for this story, I present you chapter 12. Enjoy~ **

**Disclaimer: For the 126437324****th**** time, Shaman King doesn't belong to frostedheavens.**

**

* * *

**Manta blinked.

He sat up, groaning from the hazy pressure that still plagued his head, and from the stiffness of his muscles after sleeping in an awkward position. The boy found himself on the hard floor using his schoolbag as a pillow.

As the weak sunlight penetrated his room, Manta realized that it was already late morning. Why hadn't Keiko come to wake him up?

Speaking of Keiko…

Suddenly, Manta remembered how he'd ended up on the floor. He had been so troubled by the recent news Keiko had given him yesterday that he didn't come out of his room once. Not for helping out with the wedding preparations. Not even for dinner. And now he had missed breakfast. No wonder his stomach was growling.

Manta frowned, scratching his head blearily. He'd been so worried that he'd fallen asleep on his school bag. And boy, he was _cold_. As if his body had finally realized that fact, he gave several loud sneezes – his punishment for not covering himself with a blanket the previous night.

What an idiot.

"MANTA!!" a voice boomed as the door opened with a bang.

"ARGH!!!" The blonde let out a shriek and fell backwards instantly. That someone standing at the doorway was grinning.

"You!"

"Me?" Tao Li said innocently.

"Don't _do _that to me again!" Manta screeched and hurled the bag at the violet-haired boy with all his might – which he caught with ease.

"What's this?" Li said, frowning. He jostled the duffel bag experimentally, feeling its material and the zip. "It's not cloth…"

Manta gulped. Big mistake.

"It's – it's nothing much," he garbled, making a wild attempt to seize the bag from Li, which was stupid of him. Again. The other boy was much taller.

Something in Manta's voice made Li really want to see what was inside this strange-looking ornament. Grinning, Li started to pull the thing here and there, trying to work out how to open it.

"GIVE THAT BACK!" Manta roared, now jumping like a madman to retrieve possession of his beloved bag with his writing paper, pencil case and worse, his…!

They carried out like this for several minutes, with Li dancing in and out playfully, taunting Manta and teasing him about his dwarfness (which only fuelled Manta's fire), and soon, the two boys found themselves outside the room and in the white fields.

"GIVE BACK!"

"Will not!"

"GIVE!"

"No!"

"AH-HAH!" Manta cheered triumphantly as he finally managed to grab the straps and pulled down with all his strength.

"Who do you think I am?" Li demanded, as he simply lifted the bag _and _Manta up into the air. He shook it – them – sharply, as if trying to get rid of a bunch of particularly bothersome ants.

But in his wicked delight, the young assassin conveniently disregarded Manta's own sense of stubbornness, and didn't see Manta's leg lash out defiantly (well, the bag had blocked his view of the midget anyway – the excuse he intended to give his father later) and catch him in the stomach.

"Oof!" Momentarily winded, the panting Manta gave one, final tug which sent them both sprawling to the ground (he was amazingly stronger than he expected in this instance) – and out fell the things inside his bag.

"Shit!" So great was Manta's horror that he hadn't even noticed his language. His school things were all out, including his...his…

"What's this?" Li repeated, breathless but pleased as he picked up the history textbook lying close to him. He hummed, flipping through the pages nonchalantly, oblivious to the blonde's defeated aghast.

Li frowned. Manta slumped, overwhelmed.

_OhnoOhnoOnoOhno…! _

"…Are these supposed to be _words_?"

"What?"

"I can't read them," Li said, looking up. "What do they mean? They look Japanese, but they're… weird."

Oh…that's right… All those Japanese kanji hadn't been fully invented yet, so people couldn't recognize them anyway.

Now Manta wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or dumb.

"Oi. Manta. Earth to Manta?" Li snapped his fingers briskly before Manta's eyes.

Before Manta could respond, he had to utter another, softer shriek as yet another voice boomed behind him.

"WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON HERE?"

Manta turned and saw Michinaga standing several feet behind the pair, with disgruntled late-sleepers and curious on-lookers gathered along the corridors, peering at the scene with either irritation or interest. Once again, the blonde gulped, freezing up immediately.

"The two of you have been making such a racket since just now!" Michinaga reprimanded furiously, apparently forgetting that one of the "two of you" was an assassin's son. "This area is _not_ your playground!"

Manta's insides felt as if they were shrivelling and disappearing, just like how whenever the sensei at his cram school would yell at him for some misdemeanour or another. It wasn't often that Manta broke the rules, but it was unpleasant enough, having to endure some teacher's reprimands in front of the entire classroom.

"I'm – I'm sorry," was all he could stutter dumbly.

Michinaga's eyes flickered to the things scattered across the ground, and Manta tensed. But fortunately or not, the Fujiwara lord had better things to do that morning other than inspect some child's personal playthings. "Gather your belongings," he ordered. He turned away, muttering quite audibly, "Children these days…"

_I thought that was only a modern saying,_ Manta thought numbly as the lord turned away and marched back into the house. Upon seeing the figure head back, the residents quickly scattered, not wanting to be accused of idling around (which some of them were).

"Michinaga seems to be in a bad mood today~" Li whistled, albeit a little abashedly.

"Michinaga-_sama_," Manta corrected forcefully, emphasizing the respectful suffix as he picked up all his belongings and stuffed them into his bag. "Are you sure it's all right for you to just call anyone how you like?"

Li shrugged. "I'm not saying it _to _him. And I don't address anyone with titles except for Hao-sama and my father." He stood up, brushing snow off his person. "Anyway, let's continue with that game yesterday."

"What game?"

"Making snowelves, or something. Come on, show me!"

With that, Manta was swept along in trying to show Tao Li the right way to make a snowman. The snow was still thick, so they used plenty to roll into a huge, huge ball, something which required Li's help, although the blonde had some difficulty trying to convince the other boy not to roll _him_ within the snowball. Li even carried Manta so that he could stick another smaller ball of snow onto the bottom mound, before promptly dropping him headfirst into the snow.

Coughing and sputtering out bits of white, Manta threatened not to show him any more if Li kept up with his manhandling of him, but the boy only grinned and said "sorry" in an innocent yet guilty sort of way, which – damned it all – was probably capable of softening even _Anna. _

The two of them had to run back into the house and into the kitchens to ask for some charcoal for the snowman's eyes and mouth. Though Manta already told Li that a whole basketful of it wasn't necessary (which was what Li had wanted), Li was adamant, saying that he needed it. A cheerful boy with another slightly nonplussed one marched out of the house.

The hands and nose were easy – twigs from the bare trees would suffice. After plucking the twigs in on either side of the large white figurine, Manta offered the basket of charcoal to Li as the boy cheerfully thrust in huge, round bits of the black mass to make the eyes and mouth. The completion of the enormous snowman made both boys cheer – although they didn't dare do it too loudly - until Li plucked the basket from Manta's hands and tipped it upside down onto the blonde, who was still cheering.

Covered in entirely in black, the small boy was a stark contrast against the white background, blinking and unknowing of what had just happened. When he finally recovered, he let out something resembling a war-cry as he haphazardly threw handfuls of snow at Li, who was roaring with laughter.

As Manta took refuge near the snowman (Li didn't want any damage to come to it, and was therefore incapable of extreme measures against Manta), the blonde made the largest snowball as fast as he could, and as big as it could fit his hand – and leaped out, hurling the huge mass against Li's head. Only that the boy of course, ducked, and it flew right towards someone who was watching the scene with some amusement.

"I see you two are having fun," Hao remarked, chuckling at the two who looked like frozen snowmen themselves. The onmyoji used a hand to brush off the wad of snow that was splattered across his fan, the object he had used to prevent the snowball from ramming straight into his face.

"H-H-Hao-sama," Manta stuttered. (_why _was he always doing that when Hao appeared?!) "S-sorry about that…"

"Oh, you _are_ cruel, Manta-san," Li said, grinning. "That's the second noble you've gone up against in two days."

"You're the one who - !" Manta almost screeched.

A splat of white hit the side of his face in mid-shriek. So did Li.

"Now," Hao replied calmly, folding up his fan. "Would you mind following me, Manta?" Manta scrambled to obey.

"Oh no," Li groaned. "Hao-sama, do you have to really drag Manta-san – "

"Drop the '-san' already," Manta muttered.

"- away now? Go on, just for a few more minutes…"

"I doubt Manta-san would be able to survive any more mistreatment on your part," Hao answered dryly. "You can have him after I am done with him. Good day, Li."

"I'll hold you to that!" Li called after them as the pair walked away.

" 'Have me', he says," Manta mumbled darkly. "What the heck do they take me for…?"

"Did you say something, Manta?"

"Oh, nothing at all, Hao-sama…"

The duo carried on in silence for a while, before Manta piped up again. "Ano… Why did you ask me to walk with you again?"

"Does that displease you?"

"W-well, no, it's not…not…" Manta bleated, flushing.

Hao smiled. "I will tell you once we get back to the Asakura quarters."

Once they had reached a small, darkened room with only one lit candle, Hao closed the door behind them while Manta looked around. The room looked exactly like a place where Buddhist or Shinto priests practised rituals and prayers. Unlit joss sticks lay stacked on an altar nearby, while prayer scrolls were scattered over what seemed to be all over the place. With a start, Manta saw a huge scroll inked with the infamous pentagram the future Hao had so loved, hanging on the wall opposite him.

Manta followed Hao to the middle, where a low round table stood,and on its centre, lay a brown book.

Manta stared at it. It wasn't as old, or wasn't as tattered, but there was no mistaking the Cho Senji Ryakketsu. As Hao gestured Manta to sit at the table, he couldn't help noticing a Hina doll lying near them, half-hidden by prayer scrolls and looking oddly out of place in its bright doll clothes.

He didn't see Hao looking at where Manta was gazing at. "Manta."

"Uh, hai?"

"I have successfully uncovered the method of time travel," Hao said. "I will attempt this."

He flipped the book open to a page with complicated diagrams with odd symbols, the general pattern comprising of curious swirls that seemed to leave anyone feeling curiously sucked in, for the lack of a better description. Again, the five-point pentagram appeared in the diagrams.

Manta's stomach lurched. "A-ah…" he said hoarsely. "So – so this…is going to get me home?"

"I hope so. I'm not fully certain that this will work, although I must say that none of the spells in here –" he pointed to the book "- have ever gone wrong before."

_Well, you did write it_, Manta thought hazily. Still staring at the page, he opened and closed his mouth like a fish, but was unable to form words to express what he felt.

"You don't have to worry," Hao remarked, sounding amused, having had a fair guess of what was running wildly through the boy's mind. "This spell will work about a fortnight from now, as there will be a new moon then."

"The spell can't work if there's a moon?"

"I dare say it will still have a chance to function properly right now, but the strongest shamanic magic is present at new moon. I figured you'd prefer to have a chance to say goodbye to…everything here."

For several long moments, neither of them spoke. Manta licked his lips. "Umm…well. I guess…well, thanks."

"You're welcome," Hao replied pleasantly. "Shall we go and eat something? I find that I am most hungry."

As if on cue, Manta's stomach gave a huge growl that penetrated the heavy, damp sort of silence of the room. "It appears your stomach agrees with me," Hao said.

Blushing heavily, Manta stood up clumsily as a smiling Hao rose with more dignity even from a cross-legged position (funny, he thought someone like Hao would insist upon the formal seiza posture), but they were interrupted when the door slid open.

Matamune the cat trailed into the room, but stopped, looking highly taken aback upon seeing Manta. "Matamune? Is there anything?" Hao asked.

"Hao-sama…" Matamune said, sounding unsure and for some eerie reason, grief-stricken. His slitted eyes rested upon Manta all the while.

This time, though, Manta wasn't ready to be pushed out. "Who died this time?" he asked, a feeling of dreadful doom dawning upon him.

Matamune paused, his gaze flicking back and forth from his master to this innocent child. "I don't think you would… be able to take this, Manta."

No one noticed the book behind them glow for a few seconds before the light faded away.

Manta thought his heart was going to burst, it was pounding so hard against his ribcage. Cold clawed at inside of his chest. _Oh please, itcan'tbeitcan'tbeitcan'tbe… _"Not Keiko?" he said hoarsely.

Matamune bowed his head.

* * *

_**November, 1999, Funbari Hill**_

Funbari Inn had never been so crowded. In addition to Team the Ren and the Funbari Onsen Team, Hao and his followers (who had tried respectfully to insist upon accompanying their master) had been squished into the single room that belonged to Anna.

A gust of wind had blown as Hao invoked his own spell. The prayer scroll that Hao had used for the spell had gone up in small flames and – nothing else.

Hao frowned, his expression giving way to rare thoughtfulness and confusion.

"Hao-sama?" a little African child asked inquiringly, tugging onto her master's poncho. "What's wrong?"

"No go?" Yoh suggested weakly.

"No go," Hao repeated calmly.

Horo Horo exploded, causing some of the nearly-squashed inhabitants of Anna's room to glare at him. "No go??!" he yelled, attempting to raise his fists as best as he could, seeing that his arms were almost pinned fast to his chest. "You can't work it?! It's YOUR spell, goddamit!"

An angry whack immediately landed on the back of the Ainu's head. "Quit addressing Hao-sama so crassly, boy!" an overweight Chinese man said furiously.

"You – !"

Another of Hao's followers, a man dressed in Arabian clothes, shot a disapproving look at the Chinese man next to him. "Be quiet, Zang Ching."

"Oh, shut it, Turbin - !"

"Enough," Hao ordered, his voice as calm as ever, but every murmur in the room ended at once.

Anna was the first to speak. "What happened?"

"The spell won't work," Hao replied, turning to face the crowd of people, his face devoid of that cheerful/menacing smile. "The flow is not able to pass smoothly."

Silence permeated throughout the room as the crowd tried to comprehend what that meant, but it evaded them. "What does that mean?" a person, hidden from view and sounding terribly muffled, squeaked. It could have been Chocolove.

"Something is interfering. A stumbling block, if you wish for an analogy."

"But you don't know what it is?" Ren said, sounding a little too smug at catching Asakura Hao unknowing of something.

Hao shot a look at him which, to his horror, made Ren cringe a little. "No, I don't know what it is, precisely," Hao said, rising from his seated position. "But I'll explain the story, since that is what all of you want to hear.

"There are three reasons why a time travel spell would fail," Hao began, his voice regaining some of its old, good humour. "One: The participants in the spell are incompetent." A smirk formed when some of the people, predictably, growled at this. "Two: The time is not ripe, although that factor is more for reassurance rather than of any significant importance. Three: The person involved in the actual time-travelling – which in this case, is Manta – does not wish to return to this time."

Ryu frowned. " 'The time is not ripe'? What does that mean?"

This time, it was Anna who answered. "The strongest shamanic magic," she explained. "Is always gathered at new moon, when the darkened side of the moon is facing Earth. This isn't exactly reliable of course, because shamans can always employ their skills at any time with the desired outcomes if their abilities are of considerable power."

"Correct," Hao agreed, looking at her with what seemed to be a superior kind of approval, much to her chagrin. "The moon is not at its preferred phase today, but I assure you I am neither incompetent nor weak enough to have to depend on the phases of the moon."

"You mean," Yoh said, his throat dry. "The only reason there can be, is that Manta doesn't wish to return?"

"At the moment, this seems to be the most plausible reason," Hao answered carelessly, going over to lean against the window sill.

"But why would he not want to come back?!" Yoh burst out. "He must know we're worried about him!"

"Yoh…" Chocolove and Ryu murmured.

"The explanation evades me as well," the elder Asakura twin said. "But, given humans' selfish nature, it wouldn't be very surprising that he wishes to enjoy perhaps a better life in wherever he is now – we have no idea how he is living right now, after all. Would a human care about petty friendships in the face of a more prosperous life?"

"That doesn't even make any sense," Yoh hissed, an almost frightening visage of his brother's occasional anger flashing across his youthful face. "Manta's _nothing _like that."

"Is that so? Yoh."

"Don't be stupid," Anna's quiet but icy voice cut through the stuffy air.

"Miss Anna!" Ryu exclaimed in surprise.

"For your information, Manta is from one of the most prestigious families, the Oyamadas, in Japan," she began coldly. "Several electronics companies are in their ownership, I believe. Oyamada Manta can hire his own plane, his own chaffered car, his own submarine at any time, and he has never shown a sign of arrogance that stems from his wealth. Do you honestly think he will be tempted by riches or fame or whatever it is that humans ruin themselves with?"

Another bout of silence followed, this time heavy with swelled approval and awe at Anna's words. _Anna_, of all people, standing up for Manta.

At last, Hao spoke. "I am disinclined to think so as well, to tell the truth."

Several pairs of eyebrows went up.

He turned to face them again. "When I touched that page," he sighed, jabbing a thumb at his open book. "I felt something. Shock? Or grief, perhaps. Maybe something is tying Manta back to whatever world he is in now, and he feels that he is unable, and unwilling, to return."

"Yet," Yoh couldn't help adding.

"Yet," Hao echoed, smiling wryly. "I have no idea what has happened, but I suggest we wait for young Manta to clear up his thoughts, or his emotions, for that fact. Perhaps, he will be more ready to come home then."

No one knew what to say, except that they couldn't help feeling a little surprised that Hao had actually said something that sounded remotely comforting.

* * *

_**Heian Period, Japan**_

"IT – CAN'T – BE!" Manta roared.

His legs felt weak, and probably would have given way if a warm hand hadn't been supporting him.

"Manta," Hao said, although a curious tremor laced his tone.

"She's – she's dead," Manta spat, the word 'dead' tasting like poison. He looked down at his feet, trembling from head to toe, and hardly noticed Hao leading him to sit down, or Matamune closing the door. "Murasaki. She killed her, I know it!"

Hao's eyes darkened at the mention of the name.

"Murasaki wanted Keiko to spread rumours about me, being a devil's child and that I can see ghosts and demons and…and that _I'm _the cause of all these deaths!" Manta hated himself for not standing up, for not giving in to his desire to kick or throw something, but he couldn't seem to muster the strength. "Keiko warned me yesterday, and now, she's – she's _dead_! It can't be coincidence! Murasaki must have murdered her!"

"No."

Manta whirled to face the cat. "N-no?" he said, subsiding a little.

"Lady Murasaki did not kill Keiko, Manta," Matamune said quietly. "She killed herself."

The pupils in Manta's eyes shrunk to a mere spot as he sucked in a breath. "She – _killed _herself?" he managed to choke out. When no one responded, he exploded. "_Why?! _Was she so afraid of – "

"Listen, Manta," Matamune said, his tone cutting the blonde off. He sounded thoroughly distressed and almost choked with some sort of furious revulsion. "Keiko – she was discovered, yes. Yorimichi – "

"Matamune," Hao said in warning.

"Forgive me, Hao-sama," Matamune said tremulously but firmly. "But the boy – he has a right to know. He can't possibly be kept in the dark any longer."

Manta vaguely registered the fact that this had to be the first time Matamune disobeyed his master, and then couldn't believe he was thinking about that. "Yorimichi was involved?" Manta whispered.

"The spirits around… they told me. I was skulking for information, and I managed to garner it from them. He ordered his men to tie her up," Matamune continued woodenly. "And one of his soldiers would whip her to punish her."

He glanced at Manta, whose face was awfully pale, but he nodded for the cat to continue.

"I think he gave her a chance to redeem herself – by obeying her mistress's orders to...discredit you. Keiko refused."

Manta choked back the lump rising in his throat. "Go on."

"And then he…" Matamune paused, looking the most pained Manta and Hao had ever seen on the cat's face. A mixture of mingled pity and disgust filled his countenance. "He told his men to drag her away to… It was so terrible, Hao-sama. Such a nice, young woman… Yorimichi told them to _have fun with her._ Can you believe such a creature?"

Hao stiffened. But Manta… The blonde was nothing short of shaking like a leaf. "She was – " he rasped, unable to use that horrible word.

"In this time," Hao spoke softly. "A woman's honour is of utmost importance – many consider it even more important that her own life. If that honour was ever tainted or stripped away, death often is the best way out for such women."

Manta thought he was either going to throw up or faint. Keiko…the maid that had looked after him, had such courage and damned _honour _to warn him of what would happen to him. And she'd paid the ultimate price for it. For _him_…

Manta groaned, pressing the heels of his palms to his shut eyes, and started rocking back and forth as he used to when he was a child, whenever he was feeling upset. He had grown out of that habit when he was six years old, after many, many reproaches from his father for such "pathetic behaviour".

"Manta?" Hao's voice floated to him, as if from somewhere faraway. "Manta..." The same hand rubbed his back gently.

"It's my fault," he mumbled. "It's my fault…"

"You are not to – "

"I AM to blame!" Manta yelled, disgust with himself coursing through him like a burning fire. "Keiko was – was _raped… because of me…_" His last words seemed to die out in a faint choke. "Do you have any idea what it must have been like for her to have been… while she was…" Oh god, oh god, oh god, he couldn't think about that, could not, he was going to vomit -

"Manta." This time, Hao's voice did reach him. "Drink this."

When the blonde didn't take the cup, Hao forced it into his clammy hands and made him drink it. The liquid should have tasted slightly strange and warm, but he couldn't taste anything. He didn't even wonder how the onmyoji got the drink.

"You are not to blame," Hao said. "Do you hear me? Not you – if the blame should lie with anyone, it should be with me. You…you didn't know. That was my fault. I should have known better than to leave Keiko unprotected, with her close relationship with you and her servitude to them…"

Manta didn't understand. Even if Hao was to blame as he said, it was still Manta that Keiko had suffered and died for. Died for sharing information with him… Which probably meant that, the other deaths that had occurred…

Had it been because of _him_?

No, he couldn't think of that now. It threatened to rip him apart. There was something else he had to do.

"Where is she?" Manta asked in a tone of forced calm.

"Manta?"

"Keiko. Her…her body has to be somewhere, right?"

Matamune hesitated, but something in the boy's voice didn't allow him to disagree. Now he wondered how this would change the child – and he didn't like to think of it. "Very well," he said, after casting a look at his master, who suddenly looked mask-like.

The trio slipped out of the room, but they didn't get far until someone else intercepted them. "Stop," a soldier, with four other men behind him, said.

"What is it?" Hao asked. His voice was level, but the guards couldn't help flinching. Their leader also wilted slightly before attempting to regain his former commanding manner. "May I ask where you and your…companions are going, Hao-sama?"

"If you must know, we are going to view the young maid's body. I trust you know of her death?" Hao said coldly, feeling Manta shudder against his leg. "I fail to see how this is of any concern, however."

"I'm afraid it is, Hao-sama. You see, we've found a couple of hairs on her corpse – " Manta repressed an urge to scream at the guard – how could he be so callous, speaking of Keiko as if she were nothing more than another casualty in war? " – which may identify her killer." He turned cold grey eyes onto the shorter boy. "Yellow hairs, for that fact."

"Yellow hairs?" Matamune repeated in horror, quite forgetting his master's instructions to try and remain quiet in the presence of other humans – normal people weren't comfortable with talking cats.

Manta went rigid, the enormity of the situation crashing upon him. "Your point being?" Hao asked sharply.

"Hao-sama, this must be obvious to you. There is no one in this house who has that same hair colour. Perhaps Matamune-san has a similar fur coat, but I doubt a cat is capable of hanging someone by the neck till dead."

Manta sucked in air again, sounding almost like a hiss as he blanched.

"Yes, boy," the soldier said grimly. "Come quietly with us, please; you are under arrest."

_**END OF CHAPTER 12**_

_**

* * *

**_**Author's Note: I realise that it is so much easier to type angst parts instead of happy, cheerful ones… Poor Manta. Poor Keiko. **

**I foresee that the upcoming chapters will contain more and more angst (the ending should tell you). The hero always has to suffer first before he can achieve his hope of returning home. (with a very large reception of people…!)**

**Review please! **


	13. Chapter 13

**Through the Ages chpt 13**

Yesh… I'm proud of myself for updating before my deadline. ^^ This chapter was, for some reason, pretty difficult to write… Hm.

Find out how it is, cha?

**Disclaimer: "Noooo! Come back, you little brat!!"**

"**Hah! Never!"**

**A boy no older than nine years old dashed out from his house. In his hand, he held onto a pink underwear.**

"**Come back!!!!" A teenage girl shrieked at the top of her voice.**

**The boy just stuck his tongue out at her.**

**In the middle of the street, he made a show of unfolding the pink underwear, and then reading out the printed words in it aloud.**

"**Frostedheavens does not own Shaman King."**

**

* * *

**Manta couldn't believe what was happening to him.

Everything was happening fast, way too fast… It was unbelievable, how quickly fortune changes. Just this morning, he was making snowmen with Li and throwing snowballs at him. Now, Keiko was dead - violated horribly beforehand - and he was kneeling before a whole assembly of ministers, with Lord Michinaga presiding. On the charge of murder.

_Murder. _

All the faces he saw were unfriendly ones, save for Hao and Matamune, who stood alongside with the ministers and the other Asakura onmyoji. But Manta suddenly found that he didn't really want to look at them.

The soldier that had arrested him stepped forward. "Michinaga-sama," he began in a hoarse rumble. "The boy, as ordered."

"Step down, Takei," Michinaga ordered, fixing hard and angry eyes onto Manta's own.

The soldiers bowed and proceeded to form a line behind Manta. Besides the ministers inside the open-air hall, what seemed to be the entire household had gathered all around outside upon hearing news of the trial. The only empty space was the radius around Manta, where people didn't dare to step too close to him.

Hostile whispers rippled among the crowd as they regarded the kneeling boy, with chains shackled around his wrists.

"He was the one who killed all those soldiers…"

"Prince Ichijo's mother was nearly thrown into a river too…"

"He is the one who did it! My husband, Nobunaga…" The woman's words trailed off in an angry sob.

"That maid too… Keiko, was that her name?"

The mention of that heart-rending name made Manta start slightly, his heart clenching painfully, but the small movement made people draw back as if he had just bared fangs at them.

"Silence," Michinaga commanded. At once, all noise died down.

A small nod from the Fujiwara lord immediately brought one of his advisors forward. "In the light of the recent deaths," the man said in a ringing voice over the silence. "Many of which were horribly mutilated or suffered tragic ends, such as Prince Ichijo's soldiers, Fujiwara no Nobunaga, as well as many more 'accidents', especially one regarding Prince Ichijo's mother and the finger found in Lady Akiko's daily meal."

Whispers broke out again, and the advisor had to call again for silence.

"For a long while, many of us had not been able to apprehend the one responsible," the advisor continued. "But at last, the answer to all of these unhappy events is here." He pointed an accusing finger at Manta, whose eyes widened involuntarily.

"Yellow hairs had been found on the body of the maid Keiko, the last death that occurred before this boy was brought here. A check has been performed, and it was found that no one in this household has that hair colour except for this one…here." His speech finished, the advisor bowed a little before returning to his seat.

"Well, boy," Michinaga said. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I…" Manta began hoarsely. "I never did any of – of it. I never killed anyone!"

"Then how do you explain the hairs?" Michinaga demanded. "Tell the truth!"

"I don't know," Manta said. He wished his voice could have that strong impact that his shaman friends, who were so much braver, had. But instead, it came out hoarse and desperate and _weak_. "I spent more time with her than anyone else, it could have gotten there before – "

But no, of course not… He spent time with her, yes, but he had never made any real contact with her, so of course it hadn't gotten there beforehand. Someone had somehow gotten his hairs and planted it there.

"Yes, I thought you might say that," Michinaga said. "I imagine you killed her by strangulation, then hanged her to make it look like suicide?"

"That's stupid!" Manta burst out, sending shocked glances towards him. "I wouldn't hurt Keiko! How could I be strong enough to do it?"

Another minister turned tentatively towards Michinaga. "My lord, the boy does have a point," he spoke. "Just look at him. He wouldn't have the necessary strength for murder of that scale."

Some of the crowd began to waver and murmur in assent. Until one of the soldiers behind Manta stepped forward as well.

"May I speak, Michinaga-sama?" the soldier asked.

"Go on," Michinaga said.

"Personally, I witnessed something about this boy that could provide the answer to all these murders," the soldier said, his eyes narrow and malicious as he regarded Manta like a rodent. "Did you know that this boy could _talk _to demons?"

Gasps ensued and a stunned quiet hung over everyone for only a moment before giving way to furious words exchanged among the residents. "Are you sure about this, soldier?" a minister demanded.

"Positive, my lords," the soldier continued, clearly relishing this moment of spotlight. "I saw this boy before speaking with apparently no one in his room before, as well on several other occasions."

" 'Several other occasions'?" Michinaga said suspiciously. "Then why have you not said anything up till now?"

Before the soldier could reply, another voice - all too familiar, causing Manta's insides to freeze up - cut in. "I'm afraid that is my fault."

"Y-Yorimichi-sama…" several people breathed.

A regretful smile played across his lips as the Fujiwara son placed himself in front of Manta. "It was I who ordered my soldier to keep his silence until now," Yorimichi explained.

"Why, Yorimichi?" Michinaga demanded, his tone sharp.

Yorimichi didn't flinch. "It was a mistake, on my part," he said calmly. "I foolishly thought that the boy seeing demons wasn't reason enough for him to kill. I didn't want any unneeded panic. Demons are foul, of course, capable of horrific things, but I didn't think the boy would be necessarily responsible for these tragic deaths just because he could see them. After all, there are others who have seen demons and have still benefited the Fujiwara family greatly." Manta saw him turn his head in Hao's direction, whose gaze was colder and darker than Manta had ever seen.

Then Yorimichi's eyes hardened, as he turned to look at Manta. "I was wrong. The evidence of his hairs on Keiko's clothing, his ability to see demons… These deaths and so-called accidents aren't natural, not what a human is capable of… This has gone far enough."

"What are you suggesting, Yorimichi?" Michinaga asked, though it was apparent he knew the implications of what his son was saying.

Yorimichi's voice was cold and unfeeling. "This boy is of unknown origin. He turns up one day on our doorstep, wearing odd clothes and claims to be from a foreign place that not even the most learned scholars have heard of before. And he possesses strange items." He snapped his fingers, and one of his men came out from the crowd, carrying a bundle.

"Show them," he commanded. His man tipped the bundle over, and out came Manta's open bag, his school things spilling out.

Yorimichi used a foot to push the items out for everyone to see. "Have you seen such things before, Father? Anyone?" He addressed the crowd nonchalantly.

Manta's breath hitched as his laptop, school books, pencil case, writing paper and his scarf were spread all over the snowy ground. The crowd stared at the objects. "What in the name of kami are those?" someone with a particularly loud voice said, before getting shushed instantly.

"I have seen those," Michinaga said. "Just this morning."

"Devil's possessions," someone muttered, and hostility began to spread like a virus once more.

"Such odd written language on those books," a minister whose voice came out in wheezy breaths remarked, peering at Manta's things. "Spellbooks, they must be."

All of a sudden, Manta's tongue loosened. "I tell you," he said harshly, in a voice quite unlike his normal bashful one. "I have _nothing _to do with all this. My things are my own, and they don't possess sharp points bathed in blood, do they? And you – " he spat at Yorimichi. "- are such a despicable liar!"

Yorimichi turned slowly to face him. "What," he said. "are you talking about, boy?"

Manta ignored the small but urgent shake of Hao's head and his warning look. "You killed Keiko," Manta hissed, now struggling violently against his shackles. The crowd drew even further from him, whispering frantically. "You got your men to – to hurt her! And now you…you're blaming _me _for everything?!"

His words ended in a yell as a soldier restrained him roughly. "How _dare_ you!" Michinaga said in outrage, leaping to his feet. "Accusing my son! You…devil's child!"

Hao went very still as Manta glared at the ministers. The residents were now talking in louder, angrier voices. "Devil's child," Nobunaga's wife spat at the blonde.

"Getting desperate, aren't you?" Yorimichi said coolly to the struggling boy. "You just landed yourself into more trouble with your words."

"Like I care!"

"Do you deny it then?" Yorimichi shot back. "Can you see demons, child? Can you talk with them? Answer me, and swear that every word is true!"

Manta jerked his head, eyes wide. He gritted his teeth, a bead of sweat sliding down his face.

"I…"

"Well?"

"I…don't deny it."

His words had come out stronger than he thought, but they immediately sent everyone in an uproar as people started to converse wildly. "Did you hear that, everyone?" Yorimichi said.

"He admits it," a man nearby said in disgust. "And he just accused Yorimichi-sama of such horrendous acts! Indeed, he must be the devil's child!"

"Execute him!"

"Burn him at stake!" several women cried out at once.

"No, drowning must be in order!"

Manta couldn't seem to breathe. He could feel the murderous tension emanating from the crowd, tension that _should _have been directed at this monster. He was going to die, and the crowd was all for it.

"Oh, shut up, everyone!"

Manta's heart leapt, and he turned around swiftly.

Tao Li's face was hard and furious, unlike his usual cheerful disposition. Behind him stood his father and brother, coming through the crowd easily as they parted automatically to make way for them.

"My respects to you, Lord Michinaga," Tao Long greeted coolly in his deep voice, placing one restraining hand on his youngest son's shoulder. Li looked ready to rip apart the chains binding Manta's wrists together.

"T-Tao Long?" Michinaga faltered. Fear was evident on the people's faces, and even the cold, calm look reflected the Yorimichi's eyes wavered a little. "Why are you here?"

"Oh, nothing much," Tao Long said casually. "It's just that my second son here – " he jerked his head in Tao Jin's direction, who gave a mock bow, "- was badgering me about that you have already apprehended the culprit." He looked at Manta up and down, which wasn't much of a movement at all, given Manta's size. "Is this him?"

"Yes, Tao Long," Michinaga said, regaining his authoritative stance.

"A little chit of a boy carrying out murders of such unprecedented scale that the Fujiwara family had to call the Tao assassins in for investigation?" Tao Long said questioningly. "I'm not impressed."

"Were you expecting a fully-grown man with unmatched skill, then?" Yorimichi interjected. "That may have been the assumption for many. But this boy communicates with spirits, and – his behaviour is odd."

"Odd? Any specifics, Yorimichi?" Tao Long asked, raising an eyebrow. "Other than the fact that he speaks with demons, which our esteemed onmyoji can do so much more? Or that he even deigns to talk to my youngest son?"

No one dared to confirm the direct challenge Tao Long was posing, waiting for a word against his family. "The hairs are proof," one brave soul murmured, but everyone caught it.

"Ah yes, the hairs." Tao Long smiled wryly. "Incriminating evidence, though not the most solid, given that young Manta has been spending more time with the maid than anyone else. Still, what are you going to do with him, Michinaga? Execute him? An execution would certainly be a fine way to start off wedding celebrations."

Michinaga fell silent. The crowd gazed at Michinaga, waiting.

"Very well," Michinaga snapped. "The boy's fate will be decided at a later date. Take him away."

The crowd seemed rather taken aback at the sudden end of the trial, but no one was stupid enough to voice their thoughts aloud. Two soldiers seized Manta, heaving him to his feet. As the blonde cast a quick look around, the hot, accusing gazes thrown at him were answer enough – he wasn't innocent by their standards, no matter what anyone said. He forced himself to look at Hao, Matamune and Li, who probably were the closest allies he would be getting.

* * *

Hidden in the privacy of the Tao family's quarters, Tao Li was seething.

"I don't believe this!" Li snarled. He paced up and down agitatedly, taking three steps forward, then three steps back again.

"Calm down," Tao Jin said.

"Calm _down?! _This is insane! Manta? Kill? Are those people completely blind? He's the same size of a bloody cat! Or are they just stupid?"

"Prejudiced," Hao said quietly. The room was fairly well-decorated and large and the onmyoji too, was seated on an elaborately-carved chair beside the Taos – with the exception of Li, who didn't seem to be in the state to remain still.

"Prejudiced? Against _what_?"

"Haven't Father and I told you before, Li?" Jin admonished. "During your training? People need scapegoats, that's just how humans deal with their problems. They don't care who, or what, they blame half the time. It's so much easier to stop up their eyes, ears and - for all that's good and evil – their common sense and just throw the guilt onto something else to make the problem vanish."

Li's brother ended off with a slight but pronounced sneer that was mirrored on Li's own face. "People here will believe anything," he said disgustedly.

"Demons are the perfect fodder for blame," Tao Long joined in evenly. The cups of green tea that were laid out for each person remained untouched on the wooden stands. "That little kid – he really can see spirits, can't he?"

"He can," Hao said, glancing down at Matamune on his lap. "He can see Matamune whether or not I allow it."

"Then he's done for," Jin interjected. "And it can't help that people have seen him playing with Li here, given our reputation. Now they'll be talking about how Manta mixes with killers too."

Li paused, an ugly look coming over his face. Then he spoke, low but viciously: "If they do anything to Manta, then I _will _become a killer."

The other three fell silent, eyeing Li closely. "Li, Jin – leave us," Tao Long finally ordered calmly.

Jin got up, and beckoned for his younger brother to follow him. Li looked as if he wanted to stubbornly stay right where he was, but thought the better of it, then quietly followed his brother out of the room.

"That's better," Long said heavily. He fingered the rim of his porcelain cup, and at last deigned to drink the warm green tea in it.

"Any particular reason for this private chat, Tao Long?" Hao asked, a wan smile spreading across his face.

Long raised his heavily pencilled eyebrows. "Actually, I was thinking you wanted to say something that was best said in my sons' absence."

Hao, uncharacteristically, looked down upon the wooden floor, his smile disappearing. "What is there to say? The plans are coming along exactly as how the brother and sister wanted them to. I should have sent the boy back when I had the chance, instead of waiting all this time."

Long didn't speak for a long while, but just stared at Hao.

"Yes?"

"I was just thinking," Long began, setting down his cup. "This really isn't like you at all, Hao."

Hao's eyebrows lifted by a fraction.

"I have not known you to be so easily defeated, so lost. I am not an idiot – you care for the boy. Are you going to be content with him going to his execution, as he will be in only a matter of time? I can't imagine why you can't send him back – wherever it is – even at this point of time."

"No I wouldn't," Hao said shortly, standing up. Matamune landed on the floor with a slight thump, something which would have made him disgruntled on any other day. "He doesn't wish to go at all, and I can do nothing if that is the case."

Long wasn't quite sure what his friend meant, but he knew better than to ask. "Why should he remain here for? For his death? Or is it merely guilt that is the cause for Manta's plight?"

"A dear friend has died because of him," Hao answered. "At least, that's how he sees it. Leaving now would seem irresponsible, in his point of view."

Long chuckled, making Hao turn back to him. "So he wishes to stay to somehow take responsibility? Foolish child."

Hao didn't seem to have anything to say to that other than another wry nod, so Tao Long continued. "Forgive me for saying this, but I was rather surprised you didn't say anything throughout the 'trial' – if it can even be called that – given the situation the boy's in now. I heard them shouting their new name for him a mile away – 'devil's child', indeed. Why did you not put them in their places?"

The assassin leader knew he had gone too far with that remark, but he kept his gaze cool and steady as his eyes met Hao's, which suddenly seemed to spark with a burning ferocity. "That was rather presumptuous, Tao Long," Hao said softly. "What on earth would you have me say that would have made a difference in those humans' perceptions of the boy?"

"Well, think back," Long said coolly. "What would _you _have had anyone say when you were suffering the same treatment when you were a child?"

_**BANG!**_

The doors bounced slightly off the walls as Hao disappeared from sight. Matamune hissed, his shackles raised and claws sharpened from the impact of the sudden blow. Throwing Tao Long an unfathomable look, the cat too slinked out of the door to look for his master.

Tao Long lowered his arm to reveal an empty space where the onmyoji had stood only a second ago, but his gaze slid to the limb he had used to block the attack instead. An angry burn was imprinted on his forearm. It wasn't serious enough to render any amputation necessary, but certainly enough to leave a nasty scar even as it healed afterwards.

Not to mention that it hurt like hell, too.

Despite his injury, Tao Long only sighed as he turned to reassure his Guardian Spirit. "It won't leave any serious lasting damage," he said to the tiger spirit beside him, who growled with indignation and worry for his master.

He turned to stare out of the open doorway. "Your son appears to be still hurting after so many years, Asano Ha," he murmured.

* * *

The next morning dawned sunny and cold. The thin shoji screens of the aristocratic women's chambers and wide rooms allowed conversation to be overheard far too easily. It was only for that reason that Lady Murasaki had agreed to meet her younger brother in one of the Northern Branch halls, where entry had been strictly forbidden by the two aristocrats.

"You certainly do know how to play dirty, Yorimichi," Murasaki told her brother coldly. "I have underestimated you far too much, as your elder sister."

Yorimichi only calmly smiled as he took an infuriatingly long drink of his steaming green tea, before setting the cup down on the wooden stand beside him. "What on earth are you talking about, Oneesan?" he asked.

"Don't play the fool," Murasaki replied shortly. Her own cup remained untouched. "It doesn't reflect well on you. I'm referring to Keiko, of course."

"That maid of yours?" Yorimichi let a cold smile overtake his features. "You are angry about her…unfortunate plight? I had no idea you actually cared for any of your servants."

"Again, you are playing dumb," Murasaki said. If not for the court lady's etiquette training she had received from young, she would have been tempted to let out a most unladylike snort. "Keiko is nothing to me, but a maid. And you saw fit to punish her in _my _place?"

When Yorimichi merely raised an eyebrow, Murasaki had to struggle to keep her voice low for fear of being overheard, but the threatening note was clearly heard in her tone. "Not only did you kill her," she hissed. "You stripped her of her chastity. I am a woman as well, my brother. And you handled my maid as you pleased…in the most disgusting manner of all."

"If I've offended you, then I apologize," Yorimichi said smoothly. Even an idiot would have noted the trace of amusement in his voice, instead of regret. "But it was not I who violated her. Sleeping with maids would not exactly uphold my honour, I must say…"

Murasaki very, very nearly gave into her previous impulse.

"I cannot help how my soldiers deal with disobedient women. It's amazing that you found out about it, though, Oneesan."

"You made sure to torture her for your own sadistic pleasure," Murasaki said. "But in any case, I am no fool. I saw her body, and when the undertaker checked her corpse, you can guess the unpleasant results he relayed to me afterwards."

This time, it was Yorimichi who adopted a suspicious, cold glare in his narrowed eyes as Murasaki finally decided to drink her tea. An ironic half-smile played across her lips.

"Nothing to worry about," she said nonchalantly. "I personally made sure he was taken care of. No one will notice the disappearance of a mere undertaker."

Yorimichi relaxed his gaze a little. "You use my methods too, Oneesan," he chuckled. "That aside, how is your job going on?"

"Again, nothing to worry about," Murasaki answered. "The Taira and many Fujiwara ministers have all agreed to support you in the uprising against Father. If it is coming any time soon."

"You certainly know how to be persuasive," Yorimichi remarked. "I didn't imagine you'd make such fast work of them. Was there anything _extra_ you offered them?"

The smile was immediately wiped off the lady's pale face, replaced with a cold look that would have quelled the hearts of brave warriors.

"Forgive me, Oneesan," Yorimichi said, although a small grin was forming across his own face. "There is no need to be impatient. Father's downfall will come shortly… after the boy is taken care of, of course."

"You are sure that disposing of the child will serve your goal?" Murasaki asked, her scepticism apparent.

"And yours too," Yorimichi added. "People fear demons – and the unknown – above all else. What better way to gain power by exterminating the very bane of human existence?"

"Do _you _fear them, then?" Murasaki asked, arching a delicate eyebrow.

"Certainly."

The straightforward answer was obviously not what Murasaki had been expecting. Her eyes widened slightly and a very small, surprised sound escaped her throat before being suppressed instantly. Yorimichi, however, showed no sign that he had noticed his sister's reaction.

"The boy has the Tao family behind him, though," Murasaki finally said after a pause. "I heard about Tao Long's intervention yesterday in his trial."

Yorimichi didn't seem in the least worried. On the contrary, the news seemed strangely pleasing to him. "Exactly," he said smoothly. "An assassin family is supporting Manta-kun… An assassin family with their own special, demonic powers, in fact. Why would such a family help the poor boy unless he was a demon's child himself?"

"Aren't you afraid that they would come after you? Their powers are not of this world, if the rumours are to be believed. I would hardly be surprised if they found out you were the mastermind behind this whole scheme."

"Possibly…" Yorimichi looked up from his cup, where he had been idly tracing the rim with his finger. A more serious expression filled his eyes. "But what are they going to do? Kill me? If they are not afraid of getting the boy into deeper trouble… they can try, by all means. I doubt they will be stupid enough to do that, however… Especially with Manta's friendship with the assassin's son, Tao Li."

The cruel, calculating smile that lit up his face afterwards would have shown the Fujiwara son's true character in an instant. "Friendship," he said, almost laughing. "Such a wonderful bond… Yet that bond truly makes everything so much easier to manipulate. All for one boy's well-being, just imagine that."

Murasaki said nothing to that, but her own, shrewd gaze lingered on her younger brother, under the pretext of taking another drink. "Well," she sighed. "I dare say the Tao family will be out of the picture and back in China sooner or later, anyway… As long as Father doesn't make a direct attack on them – which he certainly wouldn't – those assassins won't have an excuse to disrupt the noble Fujiwara family."

She set down her drink, frowning. The tea was getting cold already. How annoying. "So, what are you going to do?"

"Hm?" Yorimichi looked up at his sister.

"After the boy is out of the way."

"Well," Yorimichi said. "There is no need to wait for that child to be rid of, really… But one boy is definitely insufficient to start the whole 'demon extermination'. So – " he sat back, crossing his arms into his sleeves, a satisfied smile lighting up his features once more. " – our next target: -

- Asakura Hao."

* * *

Manta looked up blearily, consciousness starting to prick his mind. Through the carvings in the grey stone wall, much like the room he had slept in near Aokigahara, a thin stream of light poured in, telling him that it was daylight already. He wished he had his watch with him, but the guards had taken "anything dangerous" away from him and made him don worn-out, grey wear instead.

The initial fury that had invigorated him during the trial the previous day had died away, leaving only a miserable numbness in its place. Keiko's death was still fresh in his mind, and it didn't help that…it had been _all his fault…_

Trying to will away the horror that was beginning to seep into him again, Manta shook his head violently and hugged his knees tightly, shivering. Despite the sunlight, the wintry day was still very cold, and his gloomy cell only enhanced the chill – both physically and within himself. They, of course, had not thought it necessary to provide something to keep him warm.

He could still remember the events of the trial… Dirty, fearful and accusatory gazes flung at him, including many of whom he had known when he was still helping with the wedding preparations… Miyo, her friend, even some of the bickering ladies and workers who had helped him… Their looks toward him had been anything but friendly.

Was he really going to die? Without ever seeing Yoh and his friends again? He couldn't imagine how Li and Hao would just leave him like this… But even if Hao had offered him a chance to leave all this behind, he knew he could not. He had absolutely no idea what to do, but he couldn't just _leave_. Not after all those people, who had died because of him…

Manta groaned, starting to rock back and forth again. He didn't know why Yorimichi and Murasaki were doing this, why they had killed all those people just to set him up… He didn't _know…_

Why wasn't _anyone _coming down to give him the answers he deserved? Hao… The thought of the onmyoji made his heart twist painfully. He didn't really know whether he wanted to see him or not… It wasn't fair to Hao, but Manta wasn't even sure if he blamed him or not. A small, nasty voice kept ringing in his mind… _If only Hao hadn't been so bloody secretive, and had been honest with me from the _start_, maybe Keiko wouldn't have died… _

Manta put his head down, groaning once more. He just wanted someone, anyone, to come to see him, someone he could perhaps strangle the answers out of if it was the last thing he did…

_Crunch. _

As though he had been electrocuted, Manta's blonde head shot up. Someone was there. Outside, coming closer to his prison cell…

_Hao…?_

"Well, well…" a nasally voice drawled. "The lil' kitty down here, all alone…"

His breath hitched. He didn't recognize the voice, nor the giggles that responded to it. Dread started to form in the pits of his stomach.

The heavy stone door to his cell opened by an inch. Not one, but four people stood outside, peeking in through the crack. Three teenage boys, and a girl…

"Manta~~" the female started to speak in a sing-song voice, grinning nastily. "Feeling lonely~? Why don't we play a game, hmm?" The other boys laughed.

A thrill of terror shot up his spine as Manta stared at the four newcomers coming into his cell, their shapes blocking out the light from outside.

* * *

_**END OF… OH WELL, LET'S HAVE A SHORT PEEK HERE, SHALL WE?**_

_**November 1999, Funbari Hill**_

"Remind me again," Horo Horo growled. His left eyebrow was twitching. "Why is it so crowded in here?"

"Because Hao-sama wishes so," the little African child, Opacho, said obstinately. "Baka."

"Why you little - !"

And so on. The residents of Funbari Inn, both original and newcomers alike, sighed when they heard another commotion going on in the next room. The tension was so palpable that small explosions and scuffles were starting to be considered normal in the dead silence that permeated most of the house.

_**Upstairs…**_

"Where did that tea come from?" Anna demanded abruptly. She folded her arms, glaring at the shaman standing by the window as though he had just announced that soap operas had been cancelled for the next month. One was airing on the television behind her, just to say.

"It smells wonderful, doesn't it? On a cold winter day like this," Hao said cheerfully, not answering her question at all. He set down the cup of steaming green tea onto the window ledge. "Care to join me, Anna?"

"If you have even touched anything in my kitchen…"

Before the thoroughly irritated itako could complete the sentence, a roar sounded outside the door and what seemed to be a wildly spinning tornado flew into the room, slamming the door open with an almighty crash.

A mixture of people (for the lack of a better description) or rather, what _seemed _to be people were tangled up together, muffled growls and roars emitting from it. If one managed to peer closely enough, a small child was hanging onto Horo Horo's arm by the teeth, said boy was trying to fling the child off, and Ryu and Chocolove were… well, what they were doing there was a mystery.

No one did manage to get a close look, though, for they crashed right into Anna. Perhaps she had been too annoyed earlier, but she didn't manage to dodge in time. And so she fell…

…right into Hao's arms.

"Well," Hao said, a mixture of suggestion and amusement dancing across his features as he gazed upon the shocked itako. "That certainly was a fortunate accident."

Anna lifted her head to look at the fire shaman. Once she saw the look on his face, she got over her stunned surprise. Flushed the tiniest bit.

And gave him the greatest slap of his life.

Everyone else stopped dead (including the said 'tornado') upon hearing the resounding smack, which seemed to echo throughout the entire house.

"Well," Yoh said, after a nasty silence. He peered at the people surrounding the table, trying not to think of what had just happened upstairs, and trying not to catch any of Hao's followers' eyes.

"Oranges, anyone?"

Whatever happened in the aftermath will be left completely to the reader's imagination.

_**END OF CHAPTER 13**_

_**

* * *

**_**Author's Note: Eh…. Not too certain if I managed to pull off that last scene there. Just thought there had to be **_**something **_**to brighten up this angst-filled chapter… Manta's trial was a headache. How did they carry out trials in Heian Japan, anyway? **

**Enjoyed it? Hated it? Leave a review. I did work hard on this chapter before I fly off overseas on the 7****th**** for you guys, after all. **


	14. Chapter 14

**Through the Ages chpt 14**

**Merry Christmas! I managed to finish this over here in England (hurray for internet access!), so this is your Xmas present of sorts. I'm surprised I managed to make it in time for Christmas. –grins- **

**Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: Shaman King? Does. Not. Belong. To. Me. :mutters: Kids these days... **

* * *

Hao sat in the same ox-drawn carriage he had ridden to Aokigahara, his chin propped on his fist as he laid his arm on the ledge of the small, square opening. He stared at the white hills that lay scattered across the snowy plains outside, the dawning sunlight telling him that it was already early morning - meaning that he'd spent a night in the carriage. The still, silent sight of the winter outlook suited his rather melancholy mood.

It wasn't the first time he had ever felt this way; quite the contrary, in fact. It was the first time, however, since this sort of mood had lasted this long.

The initial anger at Tao Long's impertinence, anger that had plagued him for a brief yet frightening moment, had dissolved, leaving nothing but something akin to hollow sadness in its place. Quite coincidentally just like someone at the Fujiwara household, but neither of them knew that.

The onmyoji heaved a small sigh. Depression had never suited him. Yet, Hao couldn't recall feeling so…

Helpless?

That thought threatened to stir the old feeling of fury and irritation in him. Helplessness meant weakness, something that he saw in the humans whom he'd tried and tried to treat with kindness. Damn near impossible, it was. But he still tried. They were so helpless, so hopelessly stupid about what they didn't understand. Their feeble, foolish attempts to destroy the unexplainable were wild, erratic, and they never cared who would end up hurt as long as it wasn't themselves… But still, he tried.

_Surely. Surely, not all humans were like this. It wasn't fair to judge them so generally. _

Hao repeated this mantra many times to himself, but it wasn't until now that he realised that he was _insisting…_ Insisting like a child, since such a naïve-sounding belief suited the child he used to be.

Did that mean… he was a fool, too?

Hao clenched his jaws. The knuckles on his fist turned white.

Foolish. Helpless. Words meant for the weak. By god, he was NOT weak.

Or was he not? Remembering how he had lashed out at the older man's simple provocation, like a common, confused human, Hao had to fight down the same urge to hurt something. But the torrents of memories didn't seem too keen to let him go.

Keiko… violated, dead, because of his negligence and oversight. Manta, imprisoned, liable for execution, because he'd refused to be honest with the boy, stupidly thinking it would have kept him happier until he was to return to his own time.

In the end, that decision had gotten Keiko killed and landed Manta in a cell.

Perhaps the only wisest decision he'd made so far was leaving Matamune behind so that the cat would never see his master in this state.

Hao closed his eyes. It seemed that every single person he had cared about or came close to caring for had suffered or left him _because _of him. His mother died because she had refused to tell the soldiers where her son was; to save _his_ life. Ohachiyo had left him because of _his_ naïve decision to keep that power he'd inherited from the little demon, childishly thinking that he would know everything if he had reishi.

Hao chuckled bitterly. Look what that ability had been good for. It only grew stronger with his shaman powers, stronger until his mind and heart was filled with so many thoughts, emotions, that he hadn't even realised what was going to happen to Keiko.

But he had known Manta's fate. Knew what those two siblings were going to do to him. And yet? Manta had still suffered.

Hao couldn't remember another time that he had been such a failure.

"Hao-sama? We have arrived."

The onmyoji blinked once, startled. He shut his eyes, trying to bring his emotions under his normally well-disciplined control.

As the driver lifted the screen, Hao stepped on the ground, his eyes making a swift survey of his surroundings. They were on a mountain landscape, the whole place covered in white. Thin slabs of mountain rock were all around him. However, it was two particularly tall, jagged pieces standing beyond a frozen lake that caught his full attention.

"This was where the demons were rumoured to have first appeared, Hao-sama."

Hao turned to see four men with their horses standing behind him. Government officials, who had appealed to the Fujiwara court for help against demon rampages.

"I see," was all he said in reply.

Several minutes passed in tense silence as they waited for an appearance, before Hao spoke again.

"What are their names?"

The officials exchanged baffled glances at such a, to them, redundant question. What use did they have for the names of monsters? Nevertheless, an official answered:

"I believe they call themselves Zenki and Kouki, Hao-sama."

As if on cue, a rumble like faraway thunder echoed around the mountain. Out of nowhere, two red and blue creatures materialised from the two rocks, almost identical in their horned and multiple-eyed appearances. They sat on the rocks, almost as if waiting.

"T-there they are, Hao-sama!" one scared official cried out breathlessly.

Hao merely stood, observing.

_The two of you meant no harm to humans in the beginning. This mountain was your home, and the people realised that. But they paid no heed and simply ventured forth here to disturb you by throwing stones and kicking your memorial rocks. Now that you have made your appearance before the people, there is no way you can continue to live here in peace. Isn't that right, Zenki? Kouki? _

_**Then subjugate us. We are tired of defending ourselves against petty human disturbances. We cannot live here any longer. We will come to serve you, but only if you are truly stronger than us. **_

_Very well. _

What happened next wasn't very clear to the other men. They only saw flashes of light – what looked like a strange, green star, the one teleportation that the onmyoji made – and the final end, where the two monstrous beings were reduced to nothing more than harmless stars.

Hao could hear the gasps of the men behind him, astonished at how fast the entire subjugation had lasted. Nothing more than a few seconds.

An official finally found his voice. "Thank you for exterminating those demons for us," he said in grateful tones.

"You are truly worthy of the title of a great onmyoji. We hope to work more with you in future."

Hao turned, smiling politely as he gave a small bow to the officials. They were smiling back cheerfully as well.

But then their thoughts began to resound in his mind.

_What a frightening man…_

_Is this man truly a human?_

_Impossible…He has to be a demon with a human face! _

_Don't look at him, or he'll kill you! _

Hao did not react. How was he supposed to? What else had he been expecting?

Twenty years. Twenty, long years of helping humans, bearing his mother's memory in mind, knowing she would not have wanted him to hate humans, even if they had been the ones who caused her death.

But with stronger reishi, growing day by day, he had begun to see the darkness of the human nature his mother had not seen. How much of the gratitude meted to her had been genuine? How many people had truly appreciated her?

And had she ever seen what humans were willing to do to innocents like Manta?

* * *

It was more than halfway through the solemn journey back that Hao opened his eyes. Not that he had been sleeping.

His heart took a small leap as he heard – or rather, felt – a cry for help.

_Manta. _

"Stop here." Hao's voice was clear and firm.

"Wha – Hao-sama?" the driver's voice, sounding taken aback, rippled back tentatively.

"You heard me."

The driver flinched a little as he immediately drew the ox to a sudden stop. When he heard no sound from the carriage, he climbed down and peeked through the shoji screen warily.

The carriage was empty.

* * *

Manta gritted his teeth, trying so hard to quell the pained groans that were threatening to spill from his mouth.

_Don't give them that satisfaction… _

"No fun," the girl aristocrat complained, frowning. "Won't even cry, this little brat."

"Ha, brat?" one of the other three boys scoffed. The four aristocrats who surrounded Manta – who was sprawled on all fours, his blonde bangs hiding his eyes – looked no older than 15. "Nah, that's not it, Leiko. He's a _devil's child_, remember?" The boy spat, kicking Manta's ribs at the same time.

The blonde fell onto his side, a small, hastily-stifled groan eliciting from his lips.

"Think you're so tough, you little bastard?" another boy hissed, a sneer twisting his face. His hand shot out, seizing Manta by the hair and pulling him upright. The blonde's pained but defiant glare only served to rile them up even more. "Just by refusing to bawl your eyes out?"

The third boy, who looked like an overgrown thug in the making, only snorted heavily.

" 'Devil's child,' " Leiko mocked. "But he can't even defend himself. Why don't you show us your true form? And you're not doing it right, Nagajirou. Give him here – " With one sudden motion, the aristocratic princess snatched Manta by the hair from Nagajirou's grip. The action almost made Manta want to scream.

Leiko glared at Manta for a moment. Then a cruel smile twisted her pretty features, before she slapped him across the face.

"Look at you!" she cried, raucous laughter from the other boys joining in with her own. "So pathetic! Won't even fight back!" She backhanded him again, this time sending him tumbling back onto the hard floor.

"Why, Manta-kun?" Leiko continued, mockingly sweet. "Hey, Raidon –" she nodded to the thuggish aristocrat. " – help me hold him in place."

Raidon strode forward. "Don't give orders just like that, woman," the first boy muttered darkly.

"Shut up, Mabuchi," Leiko snapped. "Or I'll set Raidon on you next."

The large boy called Raidon grabbed Manta's arms and held them behind his back, twisting them painfully in the process. "So…" Leiko started again.

"Why aren't you fighting back, hmm, little boy? Too scared? Too weak? Or…" A nasty smile played across her lips. "Do you think your Hao-sama will save you?"

There was laughter again. Manta gnashed his teeth together, trying not to let them provoke him. "I knew it!" Leiko crowed. "He really does think that his Hao-sama will come rescue him!"

Her laughter ceased abruptly. As if having received a cue, the boys stopped laughing as well. "Well, guess what, Manta. Hao-sama's not here. He's gone away on some…slaying of _your kind_, and by the time he's back, we'll be long gone. And if I've heard correctly, Hao-sama didn't say _anything _to defend you yesterday. Did he?"

Manta didn't answer.

Immediately irritated, Leiko narrowed her eyes. "Are you deaf or mute, or what? Quit going all high-and-mighty on me, bastard…" She nodded viciously to Raidon, who tightened his hold on Manta's arms, twisting them until the blonde thought his arms were going to break.

But he still made no sound.

Enraged, the female aristocrat raised her leg. And then she gave him her hardest kick in the stomach.

Raidon was too sturdy to be pushed over by the blow, but Manta couldn't help the loud sputters and coughs that escaped his throat – he felt completely winded.

"Now how does _that _feel?" Leiko said ferociously. "That's what you get for hanging around Hao-sama like some damn fly, buzzing around where it's not needed! I don't understand why someone like him would care for the likes of _you_!" She slapped him again.

Nagajirou groaned, smacking his forehead. "Honestly, Leiko," he said. "I didn't think your obsession with the monk could become even worse. You're targeting people who aren't even girls now?"

"Shut up! I've had it, seeing this…this little scumbag walking around with Hao-sama all the time!" Leiko's voice had taken on a hysterical edge. She turned her furious glare onto Manta again, a forceful maliciousness dripping from her every word as she continued.

"You deserve this. You know that, don't you Manta? I've been waiting for this for god knows how long… Now, finally, no one's going to care what happens to you – what _we _do to you."

"Damn right," Mabuchi snickered.

Leiko cackled, as her eyes darkened with cruel humour. "I only wish I managed to get my hands on Keiko. That stupid maid of yours, another stupid one with that lovestruck expression every time she saw Hao-sama…"

The two boys made gagging noises, while Raidon snorted heartily once more.

"I was planning to get her for something, sooner or later. Too bad she off-ed herself before I could personally do it myself."

Manta went rigid, his eyes widening.

"Aww, did I hurt your feelings there?" Leiko said, ecstatic that something had finally got some good reactions from the kneeling boy. "You like your maid that much?"

"Say some more, Leiko," Nagajirou said eagerly.

"I plan to, idiot. As if I'm done with him yet." Leiko grinned as she grabbed hold of Manta's hair again, forcing him to look at her.

"Your maid got what was coming to her, boy! Never liked her much. Never going running for help, no matter what stuff we pulled on her, like she had some sort of _pride… _Who did she think she was? Good thing that woman's dead, the damn wench –"

Leiko never managed to complete her sentence. As if a monster within him had suddenly reared to life, Manta sank his teeth into Leiko's wrist, biting as hard as he could into her skin.

Leiko screamed. She tried to fling him off, but the jaw is the strongest part of the human body. Combined with the sheer rage that enveloped Manta, not even Leiko's – or the two boys' – hits could make him release her.

It wasn't until Raidon used a hand to throttle Manta, the other holding both his wrists together; that Manta was finally forced to let go, choking and gasping for breath.

"_You - !" _

"_Don't," _Manta hissed. _"Ever – talk – about – Keiko – like – that – in – front – of – me!" _

Leiko drew in a ferocious breath, her eyes widening. An almost insane look was dancing across them.

She raised her hand, which was made into claws.

Until another hand caught her uninjured wrist.

"Now that's not very nice of you, my lady."

The four teenagers glimpsed the newcomer with shocked, fearful stares. "Y-you…" Leiko breathed.

* * *

"Oh. It's you."

The flatness of the greeting didn't bother the two-tailed Goryoushin, and the person issuing the greeting didn't seem too fussed either. Matamune pawed his way through the snow on the roof to sit next to the boy beside him.

"Have you gone to see your friend yet?"

"No," Li replied, somewhat bitterly. "Father didn't want me to. Seemed to think I'd spring him from jail and make off into the sunset without looking back."

"And would you?" Matamune couldn't help the wry note in his voice.

"Well, I don't see why not, actually," Li said. He snapped a twig off a bare branch and tossed it as hard as he could into the distance. "I mean, what else is going to save Manta? But yeah, yeah, I know, where would we go? We can't exactly take him in and raise him like a son or any of that crap." He snapped another twig.

"Li, if you continue like this, the poor tree won't have any more room to bloom its flowers in the spring."

Li scowled.

"Manta wouldn't leave even if that choice was open to him. The loss of Keiko has affected him like nothing else has, not even being put to death for all the…incidents that have been going on. He has too much guilt upon himself."

"Well, thanks for making it better," Li snarled, getting up abruptly. "What is this? Those stupid peoples' bloody prejudice and small-mindedness are Manta's fault now? It's his fault that those…those _humans _don't care if they execute an innocent person as long as it gets them to the top?"

"That is not what I am trying to say," Matamune said sharply. Anger was also beginning to show on his face, his slitted cat eyes narrowing like a growling tiger. "Manta is not at fault, but he _feels _that he is, don't you understand that?"

"No I don't understand," Li retorted furiously. "Silly, reckless little me can't understand a thing about anything, so just let the big, powerful ones sort it out, yeah? Powerful ones that actually do have nice, wholesome Furyoku who are the only ones who can do all the planning, all the saving, while idiotic Tao Li should just stay in the background and do nothing to interrupt, not even to see his friend in jail."

Li was almost shouting at the end of it, but Matamune didn't flinch. The anger had left his face, replaced with something similar to sadness.

The assassin sat down heavily. The bottled-up frustration had been let out, and now he felt almost ashamed for his outburst. "Where the hell did all that come from?" he murmured.

"I know how you feel," Matamune said wearily. He too, had risen after Li had, and sat down again. "Manta's situation has gotten all of us a little high-strung, now we're all lashing out at one another."

"Even Hao-sama?" Li shot back, but without much energy. The question had been meant to be sarcastic anyway – he couldn't imagine the calm onmyoji "lashing out" at anyone.

"Even Hao-sama."

Li raised an eyebrow, but the cat was clearly not in the joking mood. "What?"

"He did it, after you and your brother left the room yesterday," Matamune explained. "At your father, after he said some things that brought some rather unpleasant memories to Hao-sama's mind."

"What did he do?"

"Left a rather nasty burn on your father's forearm. But he'll be fine after some healing, so…no lasting damage." Matamune chuckled without humour.

Li fell silent. He had known, vaguely, from some of his father's words from the past, that Hao had not an easy childhood. He didn't know the details, of course – even his reckless instincts knew how stupid it was to ask Hao – but the gist was that Hao had been persecuted for being a shaman when he was a child.

Maybe Manta's situation had just been an unpleasant reminder of that.

"Well, maybe it was a good thing I got out before all that, after all," Li muttered. He extended his arms, stretching, and fell back onto the roof on his back with a loud crunch. "Best to keep this from Manta, or he might go blaming himself for causing us to take it out on each other."

Matamune was quiet for a moment. "You know, I'm quite surprised you have grown so attached to Manta in such a short time."

Li snorted. "I'm not _attached_." He spewed out the last word like it was something ridiculous and inane.

The cat smiled. "Are you not?"

The assassin was about contradict the cat rudely, before all the fight went out of him again. "It's odd, really," Li admitted. "I haven't even known him for long – just for days, in fact. But he's… well, somehow I'm like him. I haven't got any shamanic powers, you know, and I only have enough to be able to see spirits. Apparently, I'm the first one in the Tao family who can't use Furyoku."

"You feel inadequate?"

"Not often. I don't usually think about it these days, anyway. And my family never looked down on me because I don't have any powers. But…I don't know…maybe Manta reminded me of how I was when I was still a kid. Always trying to improve, trying to grow stronger, but it was never enough, not enough to be worthy of the Tao family."

"But you surpass your siblings in terms of physical ability," Matamune stated matter-of-factly.

Li grinned sardonically. "Well, what else could I do? Furyoku always counts more than physical strength in a real shaman fight. I didn't know how else to catch up to my siblings if I didn't at least improve my martial arts… How do I say it? I _needed _to improve my physical strength. They didn't. But there's no point in moaning, is there? So I just tried to live with it, and…yeah, don't worry, be happy…" He trailed off, rolling his eyes.

"Something you share in common with both Manta and Hao-sama," Matamune murmured.

"What?"

Matamune smiled.

Before Li could wipe off that infuriating smile, a sudden chill went down both their spines.

"Wha – Manta?"

* * *

"Y-you…"

"Me?" Tao Jin said with mock surprise. "Tao Jin, at your service, miss." He gave a mock bow.

"I don't care who you are!" Leiko cried. "Unhand me at once!"

Jin smiled, but it held no trace of warmth. "Certainly, your highness, if you promise to keep your hands off the boy and to yourself."

"How…how _dare _you…" Nagajirou hissed despite his fear.

"I most certainly do, sir," Jin said.

Manta was lying on the floor, forgotten by his tormentors. In spite of the unpleasant aches all over him, he couldn't help staring in amazement at his rescuer.

"Where're the guards? They're supposed to be - !" Leiko said angrily.

"I think they might fear me more than they do of the four of you," Jin replied easily. He tightened his hold on the female aristocrat, until the grip began to become a little too tight to be considered friendly. "Besides, you were making too much noise. I could hear you from all the way at the front. And the men know that I'm just here to tone you down."

"Just because you're one of the Taos doesn't mean you can treat us like this!" Leiko shrieked. She tried to pull her wrist away, but Jin's hold on her was too strong. "Let go of me! You can't risk offending our families, not if you're going to invite serious trouble! Let – !"

Jin shook his head, contempt forming across his youthful face. "Still as volatile, eh? But like I said – " He flung the girl non-too-gently onto the cold stone floor. " – you're too noisy."

"Ugh…"

"Leiko!" Mabuchi cried out, then turned a furious gaze onto Jin. "You'll pay for treating us nobles like this!"

"Treating you like this?" Jin asked, looking almost puzzled. "Why, Mabuchi-_sama_? Do you think I'm treating you badly?"

"You…mocking us like this…" Nagajirou sputtered.

"Mocking you? Oh no I'm not," Jin said, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. "You see, I'm just here to give you a little warm-up. The real fun starts when someone else has arrived – which should be any minute, so I suggest you try getting used to this first."

Raidon growled, his small eyes scrunched up in fury as he swung a pudgy fist at Jin. The scruffy-haired young man, however, blocked it with ease. The punch could have been no harder than cotton wool.

What happened next was kaleidoscopic.

No one in the room could follow the movements fast enough, but Raidon, who had nearly twisted Manta's arms off, was coughing out blood in the next few seconds. His nose, mouth and head were bleeding as he laid against the wall, clutching his stomach.

Manta gulped. Raidon was holding his stomach so tightly and groaning so loudly, that he suspected that the thug had suffered more than just external wounds.

Jin ignored the defeated brute. "Now," he began pleasantly. He seemed more than amused at the frightened stares directed at him. "Let's just settle down and wait, shall we?"

* * *

A grand total of nine people were in the cell. Li and Matamune had arrived, and a few minutes later, Hao.

Manta, however, had not the time to feel bewildered at why everyone seemed to find his prison so popular all of a sudden.

"Oh, for the love of kami, stop it! _Stop it!_"

The four aristocrats were sitting, all tied up together, blindfolded. Their tormentor loomed above them, grinning.

"Stop what?" Tao Li asked innocently. "This?"

His hand, almost as if accidentally (…on purpose), slipped, and something (no one knew what) fell between Nagajirou's spread out legs.

Nagajirou yelled horribly, thrashing about.

"_Oh my God,_ what was that? It's itchy, it hurts, it…!" And so he gabbled incoherently. No one really blamed him for that – it had to be rather disconcerting if you couldn't see exactly what was being done to certain parts of your body, especially if it itched and hurt like hell.

"UWAAAH!!" Leiko shrieked at the top of her impressive lungs.

"SOMETHING BIT ME!!"

"Oh my," Li said nonchalantly, looking deeply apologetic. "Oh yes, it does have rather painful fangs, doesn't it? It just really loves supple female flesh, my lady, it couldn't help itself…"

"_What _couldn't help itself? _What??!!" _she screamed, completely hysterical.

"Not to worry, I have just the thing," Li said, scrambling in his inner sleeves for something.

"W-what?" Leiko had lost her volume, now sounding utterly like the frightened girl she was. "What thing? What are you - ?"

Li didn't answer, but poured what – to Leiko – felt like liquid down the part she was "bitten". The substance felt a little too thick and strange to be water.

And it smelled funny.

"AAGH!" Leiko shrieked again, not pausing to consider if it even hurt or not. "What did you do??! What was that…that _thing_? Oh no, please, please, help me…"

"Miss, please calm down, or you'll wake it up again, and it might do something else to you," Li admonished. "It doesn't like noisy females, see."

Leiko immediately reduced her screams to a mere whimper.

"As for you…"

The sound of rather spine-chilling squelching was heard before the boy called Mabuchi screamed even more shrilly than Leiko herself.

"YYAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!"

At that, Leiko fainted dead away.

What exactly was being done to Mabuchi, Manta never knew. For Matamune had covered his eyes (which now resembled a goldfish) with his furry paws once Li had stepped round to do his thing to the unfortunate, 14-year-old aristocrat. Out of pity, Jin had waved a hand at Manta's ears.

"Such scenes may prove disturbing to children," the cat had murmured.

Manta didn't seem to even realize he was suddenly seeing black and hearing odd buzzes. Maybe he thought he'd just fainted, anyway.

Jin had his hands folded behind his head, leaning against the wall, looking bored.

Matamune viewed the scene before him with mild disapproval.

Li had an expression on his face that would have surpassed that of a crocodile that had just spotted its prey.

Hao just looked amused.

Manta… well, he was just plain traumatized.

Matamune turned to Hao, keeping his paws over Manta's blank eyes.

"Hao-sama, you don't happen to have medicine for dreamless sleep too, do you?"

_**END OF CHAPTER 14 **_

* * *

**Author's Note: What happened to the four aristocratic brats? I'll leave that up to your imagination. **

**I'm still kinda iffy about this chapter. Lots of "thinking" in it. Is that any way to put it? **

**Just a note: The scene where Hao subjugated Zenki and Kouki was taken from Episode 40 of the anime series, as well as some of the lines. **

**The next chapter will be the beginning of the next "arc" of sorts, which I won't tell for now. Happy holidays, hope you all get lotsa pressies. ^^ **


	15. Chapter 15

**Through the Ages chpt 15**

Well, the O levels results are out, and I qualify for college! –does merry dance- Or maybe not so merry, because college here is said to be the worst part of education life…

Which is why I present you this longer-than-usual chapter, because I don't know how busy I'm going to be once school starts in Feb.

**Disclaimer: "How can you **_**do**_** this?" she lamented. "I can't believe you'd just give up the opportunity!"**

**Smiling sadly, I took her hand in my own. "Sally, you know the reason why. Some decisions were never mine to make. But don't you worry too much about me. You enjoy yourself over at Canada."**

**Sally shook her head violently****. "No, no! I'm not go -"**

"**Sally," I cut in with a stronger voice, "you get your ass on that plane right now or I'll kick you there myself!"**

**She sighed and huffed. "Fine, fine." Then without another word, she stuffed a piece of crumpled paper into my hands. "There," she said, "I'm leaving now. Take care of yourself!"**

"**You too!" I shouted at her retreating back.**

**I opened the paper.**

**'Frostedheavens does not own Shaman King, but she will own my car.'**

**Looking at the car keys lying innocently in the middle of the wrinkled paper, I laughed.**

**

* * *

**"Owwww-www!!"

"Oh, don't be such a baby!"

"You're going to rip my whole arm off!"

"Can't you at least pretend to _act _tough?"

"Why don't you try getting mauled upside down, and tell me how you like it…"

Jin frowned. "They're not going to finish before sunset if they keep that up."

"I believe they will get it done. Somehow," Hao replied.

Manta was lying on his back, stripped down to his hakama, while Li and Matamune loomed above him. The cat struggled to pin the volatile teen down as Li tightened the white, linen bandages across his stomach, all the way across his left shoulder.

Manta's screeches reached all the way to the entrance of the prison, where two guards were stationed at. An emergency involving four aristocratic children – all of them either unconscious, gibbering, blank-eyed, or perhaps a few combinations here and there – had allowed the previous two guards to scamper obediently to take the children away, not wishing to linger lest a certain grinning menace decided to 'play' with them too.

"Li-bocchama's at it again," one guard muttered to his companion. He was polishing his sword. "Sometimes I wonder how that little kid managed to go through even a few hours with his antics…"

The other guard chuckled, fingering the hilt of his dragon dagger. "Those four brats deserved it, anyway. Funny how Jin-bocchama's spirit said the kid didn't scream once when those punks were thrashing him, and now he's – " Another piercing shriek screaming 'murder!' resounded throughout the entire area " – screeching like an old lady."

The two of them shook their heads. "Where're those Japanese guards?" the first one asked.

The second snorted. "Ran away with their tails between their legs after hearing about Li-bocchama's special treatment, I suppose. I swear, they seem to grow more and more spineless every year."

"Haha – "

A squeak interrupted the guard's chortles. Both men turned to see a rather curious creature with bat wings attached to its rabbit stature, flapping frantically as it emitted a series of urgent squeaks. "What is it, Kilin?"

_Squeak squeak. Squuuueak. _

The first guard furrowed his eyebrows in irritation. "So they've acted up, huh," he murmured as he rose from his seat at the wooden table.

"Hey, where're you going?"

"Outside," the first guard answered shortly. "Come on."

"What for?"

"People," he growled. He sheathed his sword and fastened it to the obi sash around his waist. "They're on their way here, kicking up a fuss about demons and monsters and whatever scares little children underneath their beds."

"They're still heat up 'bout the kid?" the second said in exasperation.

"No. It's Hao-sama they want now."

* * *

By the time Manta's injuries received full (and painful) treatment, the evening darkness had begun to set in. The sky was darker than usual, the heavy grey clouds obscuring any sunlight that threatened to penetrate through them, and held no hint of the brightness that had lit it in the early morning. Rather, they carried the beginning of thunder and occasional flashes of light, promising heavy rainfall.

A blurred sting still lingered across Manta's face from where Leiko had slapped him, and his body still ached - but Li's medication had helped. At least the guy had a handful of less terrifying stuff hidden up his sleeves.

However, the pain and the witnessing of Li's dose of special medicine faded enough to bring his mind back to more serious matters.

"Is anyone going to tell me _everything _now?"

Silence permeated for a full five seconds, before anyone spoke. The first was Hao, whom everyone expected hear the explanation from anyway.

"This is all part of Yorimichi and Murasaki's plot," Hao began. The onmyoji folded his arms and cast a neutral gaze at the space above Manta's cross-legged position. "Yorimichi wishes to overthrow Lord Michinaga and assume the place as the Fujiwara ruler, and command the young emperor as a _sessho _regent. If he succeeds, he would be able to influence political affairs much towards his advantage, as well as the lives of the Fujiwara and the royal family."

Manta stayed silent, a tingle of anticipation and dread stirring in him, as the remaining people waited for Hao to continue.

Hao took a small breath as he continued in an almost tired manner. "He is aided by his sister, Murasaki, who has most likely been relaying messages and convincing ministers from the Fujiwara and the other noble families, to support her brother's revolution against Lord Michinaga. Promises of wealth, promotions, greater luxuries – the usual ideals humans destroy themselves with."

"What does she get in return?" Jin asked.

Hao turned slightly to regard him. "Promise of marriage ties to be formed with Prince Ichijo."

"What?" Manta uttered, taken aback. "Ichijo? Lady Akiko's fiancé? Why? Is she in love with him?"

A humourless smile spread across the onmyoji's face. "I doubt so. Only power and a reluctantly shared control of state affairs with her brother interest that woman."

"So, she's hoping to put herself on the royal pedestal and control the government from there?" Li said, a uncharacteristic sneer unfolding itself. "Who's she going to have to vie with next, then? Her husband? Her brother?"

"Murasaki's interest lies more within the religious field, so Yorimichi wouldn't have much to contend with in political matters," Hao explained evenly. "But it would hardly be a surprise if the two siblings start to come to blows after they've achieved their aims."

Manta, who was listening in rapt attention, interrupted hesitantly. "But…what has it got to do with me?"

Hao now looked directly at Manta. "Murasaki would have to eliminate Lady Akiko if she were to become Prince Ichijo's wife instead. But doing so immediately would have roused many suspicious questions, and a full investigation would have launched too. Even if Lady Akiko's death had been arranged to appear as if she had died of natural causes – although she is in good health - she is still the apple of Lord Michinaga's and her mother's eye, and it would've been surprising if her father didn't conduct a thorough search for the reason behind his daughter's death."

The blonde had a vague idea of where this was leading to him. His intestines were beginning to feel pinched.

"That means they would have to set up scapegoats," Jin voiced Manta's suspicions aloud. "And they couldn't deal with the specific target just yet, so they needed to bump off more people to make it look like a series of deaths instead of a plot aimed at just one person."

Hao conceded one nod. "That's correct." His expression was blank at first glance, but Manta thought it looked half-pitying as the onmyoji directed his gaze back to him. "One of Yorimichi's henchmen must have spotted you 'talking to yourself' when you were communicating to the spirits here. I don't imagine it would've been very difficult for him to acquire some of your hairs and plant it onto Keiko's body as false evidence, and then accuse you for being the demon's child, thus holding you responsible for the occurring incidents."

The idea itself was so ludicrous that Manta had to bite his tongue to prevent himself from spewing out exactly what was on his mind. He didn't need to.

"Humans would find any excuse to blame the unexplainable on anything and then exterminate it for the peace of their own minds, Manta," Hao said. His tone was almost light, nonchalant. "The blame isn't yours to share."

It was probably meant to be comforting, but Manta couldn't repress the shudder at the older man's words.

_(Humans cannot understand us shamans…) _

"So," Manta said quietly. "They're using me to divert the attention away from themselves?"

No one answered, but the silent agreement hung in the air.

Prince Ichijo's guards. Nobunaga. The human finger (whose death had contributed to that?). Manta swallowed.

Keiko had been driven to suicide for trying to help him, all because of two power-mad siblings.

And he had been just another pawn in someone else's game.

_So what else is new? _His subconscious said bitterly.

The feeling of being used like a helpless puppet strung upon doll strings was so intense that there wasn't even any room for anger against the two siblings. Manta clenched his fists upon the folds of his white hakama, not noticing the looks he was attracting from the occupants of the cell.

"Hang on a minute," Manta said suddenly.

"How do you know about this…this plot? In such detail, too," Manta asked.

Just as he was trying to decipher the expression on Hao's face and the furtive look Matamune cast at him, an interruption arrived at the prison bars in the form of a man.

"Excuse me, Jin-bocchama," a terse voice broke through. Everyone looked towards the prison bars, where one of the two Chinese guards stood outside, looking tight-lipped and tense.

"What is it, Po?"

"I'm afraid that Qin is outside dealing with a mob, sir," the guard answered. "The Fujiwara residents, soldiers, ministers… they do not seem happy. And…" Po's lips formed a thin line across his face as he turned to Hao, whose eyelids had lowered. "They're calling for you, Hao-sama."

* * *

Flames from the mob's torches burned brightly, a stark contrast against the now completely darkened background. Rice paper lanterns that hung from the walkways' ceilings cast long, eerie shadows while illuminating the area in soft, opulent glow. A mass of about forty people stood together in the imperial gardens nearby the still-frozen lake, their faces pinched, their eyes hot with accusation as they regarded the lot that had emerged from the prison cells.

The heavy atmosphere suited the weather, since the growling thunder seemed to increase in volume with every passing heartbeat, and lightning bolts were beginning to make their appearance across the black sky.

"There he is!" one man, whom Manta recognised as the cartwheeler for wedding goods, exclaimed. But the man wasn't pointing at him.

"Asakura Hao!" Another man, clearly a court official from the robes he was wearing, growled pompously. In the midst of the crowd's sneering murmurs, the official eyed the five standing beneath the spring pavilion dispassionately. "Arrest him."

"Wha-?" Manta choked, while Li, Jin and Matamune widened their eyes, taken aback. Only Hao remained unmoved.

Manta found his voice when he glimpsed six soldiers moving forward. He dashed towards them, standing obstinately in front of Hao. "Hey! Just wait a second! What're you - !"

"Stand aside, boy!" another minister boomed out aggressively, glaring in disdain at the boy from his great height. "You'll be dealt with soon enough. There's no need to make things worse for yourself."

"What're you arresting him for, then?" Manta demanded.

"For mistreating nobility," the minister announced importantly. "We've heard – four children of the prominent ministers came out of that prison with their brains completely addled! With _him _inside! Who else is capable of such dark magic other than our 'great' onmyoji!"

Mingled laughter rippled through the crowd. "Not just that!" another voice bellowed. "His powers are clearly that of a demon's! We know about how you made the demons who call themselves 'Zenki' and 'Kouki' bow down to you. What should prompt him to disguise himself as a human if he did not want to destroy us all!"

_Zenki and Kouki? So he's already… _Manta thought with a start.

"Who gives you the authority to arrest this man? How dare you regard Hao-sama with such disrespect!" Matamune hissed angrily, with nothing but fury in his slitted cat eyes.

The people regarded Matamune as one would regard a freak. "The great Fujiwara feel the same as we do. Asakura Hao has been allowed to manipulate the courts for far too long!" a haughty-looking official said smugly. "It's becoming more and more unacceptable – the fact he owns _this _already proves he is too close with demonic creatures!" He cast a disgusted look at Matamune.

The crowd cheered and jeered simultaneously, drowning out the heightening thunder rolls. Manta gritted his teeth. A fresh wave of anger coursed through his blood, indignation making him tremble all over instead of the cold. "You say this after all he's done for you?" he spat. "After all the help he's given you? I've seen it! How you people always run to him for advice for stuff you can't solve on your own! Tell me, how much did that bastard Yorimichi pay you to do this, eh?"

The blonde breathed heavily as the mob was stunned into silence for a few moments. If only he had looked at Hao for just a second, he would have seen the expression in his eyes as the onmyoji regarded the shorter boy.

"The nerve of you!" a woman's voice shouted. "Addressing Yorimichi-sama in such a vulgar manner!"

"Yorimichi-sama has vowed to exterminate any evil creatures and purge them from this household," a younger man said grimly. "They clearly have a guilty conscience if they are so against him!"

"You – Yorimichi tried to kill me and you say – " Manta sputtered.

"Quit it, Manta," Li's even voice sounded from behind him. "No point in reasoning with idiots – sorry, cowardly idiots. It tops that."

"You – don't think that just because you're descended from the Taos - ugh!" A plump official gasped, as he was knocked off his feet and flew over the frozen stream, where he landed with a sickening crack as it gave way. In a martial arts movement too quick for anyone's eyes, Li had landed a powerful kick into the man's stomach.

"W-watanabe-sama!" several voices cried out at once. Three soldiers rushed towards the stream where the ice had broken, revealing a man struggling desperately underwater.

"He tried to drown Watanbe-sama!" another faceless member of the mob exclaimed.

"So I did," Li retorted. "Who's next?" He stepped forward.

The fourth minister, a tall and almost sickly-thin one, let out a feminine-sounding chuckle. "My, what lively children," he said, mockingly sweet. "I know of your skills, my boy, but can you really stand up against ten soldiers and about – " he cast a dismissive gaze across the entire mob. " – twenty people?"

Li sneered. "If their skills are as pathetic as I think? Sure, sixty wouldn't be a problem for me."

"These soldiers are from the emperor's private army," the minister continued in his high-pitched voice. "If you think they are the same as the ordinary soldiers – be my guest."

That was when Li struck.

Horrible yells followed sickening cracks as bones of four soldiers snapped cleanly. The next two seconds featured a flurry of movement (so very _fast_) racing through the ranks of the ten soldiers positioned at the front of the crowd, ending when the spiky-haired stood with one foot pressed into a soldier's throat.

"Hmm," Li pondered with a taunting disinterest. He cast a look at the defeated soldiers, ignoring their howls of pain as they clutched at their legs and arms. "Not much to be said, minister." He grinned when he noted the frightened expression mirrored on every face, including the lanky minister.

"You – you attacked without prior warning!" he rasped, a bead of sweat rolling down his face. "You won't be so lucky next time, Tao brat!"

"So I must say: 'I'm going to hit you in five minutes' time, at the spot beneath your left shin, so watch out?'" Li remarked balefully. He barked out a laugh unlike his usual carefree sounds of amusement. "Even if I do that, I doubt your outcome would be any different.

"But if you insist…." He let his voice trail off, spreading his arms wide-open in invitation.

The soldiers eyed him fearfully before narrowing their eyes in desperate determination and launching themselves at him. Their swords raised, their battle cries tearing their throats. They only managed to get within two feet from the boy before landing on the snowy grounds like useless dolls.

Splatters of blood made everyone gasp and draw back. The wind was getting stronger, and the flashes of lightning and thunder started to jangle their nerves.

Leaving the soldiers to cough out blood and water as they lay on all fours, Li turned back nonchalantly. He savoured their looks of fear. "No more?" he said, his voice carrying a hint of disappointment.

To his tiny spark of dread and confusion, the thin official started to smirk. "What?" Li said roughly.

"I'm afraid you missed a spot, my dear boy," the official remarked mockingly.

Before anyone could blink, another ordinary-looking man threw himself forward – at Manta. "What the - ?" the blonde gasped, fighting against the strong hold to no avail.

Li's eyes widened.

The man was clearly no novice either, for he had snatched Manta out of the way in one fluid action. A blade was positioned at Manta's neck, threatening to pierce his skin.

"Good job, Noru," the official praised.

"Not at all, Nakajima-sama," the man intoned dully. His long black hair tickled the sides of Manta's face, one calloused hand holding Manta firmly in place.

"What are you doing? Release him!" Li's brother shouted furiously. His bored demeanour too, had disappeared.

"Certainly, if your younger brother learns to control his temper," Nakajima said sweetly. He laughed at the murderous fury flashing across the assassin child's face. "One wrong move on me or the crowd, and it's off with that poor – no, that _demon child's_ – head. I wonder which is faster, your wonderful kungfu skills or my man's knife."

Li growled. Nakajima's eyes narrowed as he nodded briefly to his man. Manta whimpered as the blade was pressed deeper against his throat, drawing blood.

"_You - _!"

"WAAAAAAARGGGHH!"

The horrifying scream halted everyone in their tracks. Their shocked stares went automatically to where the man had been holding Manta, who felt the pressure of the knife leave his throat.

"Help…" the man gurgled, rolling desperately in a futile attempt to put out the agonizing flames that were licking, consuming every part of his body until burning agony was all that he could feel, breathe, think.

Someone screamed. Manta wondered momentarily if it was from himself. The grotesque sight of a living, breathing human getting roasted alive before him made him shake. The disgusting smell of burning flesh made him clasp his hands to his mouth to stop himself from vomiting.

"H-Hao!" Strangled yells cut through the air in unison with the roaring thunder, as three other people started to become human torches. The heat from the fires was so great, the surrounding snow melted instantly to form mere wet puddles.

"NO!" Nakajima screamed. The other three ministers were already alight, their screams starting to die down as they were reduced to piles of smouldering ash. Heat was spreading gradually but surely from Nakajima's legs upwards.

"S-s-stop! HAO-SAMA!" he shrieked, the orange flames rapidly rising up his body. The pain, already unbearable, was intensifying. "My – my apologies! I don't –" The rest of his pleas started to drown in further screams.

In a trance, Manta turned unblinkingly to the onmyoji. Even from a distance, the blonde could see the rage and insanity dancing in his grey orbs.

"So tiny…" Hao hissed, the glow of his flames only enhancing the vindictiveness spread across his features.

Now, screams were echoing right, left and centre. "F-fall back!" a man screeched, as if giving orders to troops. "Get help! He's gone berserk!"

The people, now terrified out of their skins, started to scramble for the nearest exit. They failed, as a line of fire spread like a fiery serpent, trapping them in a circle of hell.

"Don't think you can escape…foolish humans!" Hao grounded out, a violent rasp accompanying his words, so very unlike his normal melodious tone.

"NO! Spare us, please!"

"We should never have…"

"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!!"

"Hao! Stop it!" Jin yelled. "Calm down!"

"Damn, Hao-sama, even I wouldn't…." Li took a step back, shaking his head.

"Hao-sama!" Matamune shouted.

Seemingly oblivious to their cries, the onmyoji started to raise his hand. The flames grew more intense, creeping their way nearer to the people, who were by now half-crazed with fear.

"DIDN'T THEY TELL YOU TO _STOP IT_!!"

A blonde missile practically flew across the gardens, securing itself onto Hao's raised arm.

"Manta…" Li uttered. He gnashed his teeth together. "Goddamn idiot! You want to die?"

Manta too, was oblivious to the other three, focused only on the onmyoji. The look on Hao's face scared the hell out of him, especially up-close, but this wasn't a time for fear to control him.

"Hao…" he choked out. The heat radiating from the Hao's aura, which could only be his Furyoku, was burning through his thin garb into his skin, but he held on tight. "You've got to stop."

"Let go, Manta," Hao commanded coldly.

"I won't. Not until you put out these flames!"

Something else in Hao seemed to snap, as insanity renewed itself in his eyes. "_Let go! Don't think I won't have any qualms about killing you if you get in my way!" _

Sweat poured down the blonde's face. God, the burning _pain. _Dangling onto Hao's arm had brought him in direct contact with his power. "I won't let you! You've already killed five people, for goodness' sake! Don't let your fire consume _you _too!"

He hardly knew what he had meant by that last statement, but it seemed to startle Hao enough to lower his hand. Just a little.

"My fire? Consume _me_?"

"That's right," Manta rasped. He had to be on fire too, he just had to be. The cries of the people were ringing in his ears. "You – you're getting eaten. Just look at you."

Hao appeared to swallow. His raised hand clenched into a fist. "I have been bearing it…for so long…" Hao lowered his eyes, pain of a different kind emanating from him.

Moments of silence passed between them, punctuated by the racking sobs coming from the people trapped within the ring of fire. Manta cast a quick look at them. To his relief, no one seemed to be aflame – yet – but if Hao refused to listen…

If he went insane, just as how the stories from the Asakuras foretold…

Manta had to force himself to ignore the burning sensation that had engulfed him and the pressure of the immense heat from all sides. But if it wasn't his imagination, the flames seemed to be dying down, just a bit.

"Trust me, you don't – "

Several blurs appeared, and suddenly, Manta wasn't clinging to Hao anymore. With a yelp, he dropped back down onto the grass, uncovered by snow this time.

"Calm down, Hao," the deep voice of Tao Long reached Manta's ears. He blinked.

"Hao-sama, please… There is no point in killing them…" With a start, Manta recognized the four other people as members of the Asakura family.

"Hang…on…" Manta got to his feet, wobbled and collapsed. Exhaustion weighed down on him.

His vision faded in and out, synchronizing with his heartbeat as he felt a pair of arms carry him.

* * *

"What's… what's happening?" he managed to speak, after drinking what felt like ten bowls of water.

Two Asakura members were with him, one giving him water, another using his Furyoku to heal Manta's superficial burns. It was a pleasant, completely relieving sensation. "You were in contact with Hao-sama's power until it weighed down and took its toll on you. That's why you collapsed," one man with a bearded chin explained.

"Where… where is he? The others?"

"The other Asakura members are keeping him in a magically sealed divination room," the second, younger Asakura offered, looking at Manta. "Word has got round about the attempt to subdue Hao-sama. Tao Long has gone to speak with Lord Michinaga, I expect, and some of his people – including his two sons – are still trying to settle the ruckus."

Regaining his senses bit by bit, Manta could hear rain pattering down like a fountain, mingled with faint shouts and cries. Everyone probably knew what had happened by now.

Laying his head down onto the pillow, Manta gazed at the two Asakuras, his mind whirling. "Won't they find me? And Hao-sama? They'll try to throw us into the prison, won't they?"

"Not yet, they won't," the Asakura elder said firmly. "This room too, has a seal to keep out ordinary humans. Anyhow, it is part of the Tao quarters, and the people will not dare venture too near it."

"Oh."

The glow around his body died down. Manta sat up gingerly, still feeling weak, but much better than before. "Thanks," he said gratefully.

"Don't mention it, boy," the second Asakura said, a half-grin quirking his lips. "That was a dangerous thing you did back there. Hao-sama could have killed you as well, you were right within his Furyoku range."

"Then again," the bearded man mused. "That may have been the only way to get Hao-sama to stop."

The younger Asakura shuddered. "I wasn't even there when it happened, and I still get the creeps."

"I don't think any of us expected Hao to fly into such a rage."

"He doesn't seem the type to lose control, somehow…"

_Unless you've pushed far enough, _Manta thought. He tuned out the rest of the conversation, unable to help replaying the scene of burning humans in his mind. He swallowed.

The men had been jerks, but no one deserved such a slow, agonizing death. The mere thought of the same burning pain that had engulfed him before, multiplied ten times over, made his insides churn.

Rapid footsteps outside the door made him turn his head, revealing two rather put-out Tao brothers. "Hey, Manta," Li said. "Are you all right?"

"Better," Manta replied, waving a careless hand. "What's going on outside?"

Li let out a snort. "Chaos, of course. Completely lost their heads, that lot. Everyone's in a right state, leaving all their work behind and just spreading the news everywhere."

"They're even thinking of putting off the wedding of Prince Ichijo and Lady Akiko," Jin added.

"Wedding?" Something suddenly tugged at his mind.

"A whole bunch of people saw five humans getting killed by the great Buddhist monk," Jin continued. "You can't imagine the panic it's causing. It's impossible for Hao-sama to stay here any more."

"What?"

Jin paused. "Which is why you three are going to have to leave. You, Hao-sama and Matamune. The cat's not going to be treated well either, and I can't envision him leaving his master's side."

"Leave?" Manta asked dumbly, vaguely aware of how stupid he must sound.

"Yes. I've made the arrangements for the Taos' driver to pack some clothes and food items for your journey," Jin explained. He then shook his head. "We received a message from Father. As it is, Michinaga insists on persecuting Hao no matter what Father tells him."

"They'll just get themselves killed if they go against Hao-sama," Li pointed out.

"Then they'll call back-up from all over the country, monks, soldiers, whatnot if Hao-sama kills again," Jin said. "It'd only be a matter of time before all this blows out of proportion once more."

"The Asakuras have also concluded," the elder Asakura interjected unexpectedly. "That if Hao-sama were to murder more humans, it would be down to us Asakuras to stop him. It is completely against our creed to do our harm against other humans."

"But Hao-sama didn't want this to happen too," Manta blurted. "I'm – I'm not saying those people deserved it or anything, but they tried to arrest him first for…for…"

The younger Asakura shook his head in an almost sympathetic manner. "Nevertheless, murder is inhumane. The head of the Asakuras should know better than to resort to killing to solve the problem."

_Things weren't that simple. _He doubted that solving the problem had been on Hao's mind earlier either. But he said nothing more about it.

"Can you…can you give me something to write with?" Manta asked.

"Write?" they repeated.

"Yeah, I need to do something first. Before I leave." Manta's mind was whirling. Things were happening a little too fast for his liking, this hadn't been how he envisioned leaving the Fujiwaras.

The youthful looking Asakura got up, went to a nearby table and picked up a thin sheet of paper, an inkwell and a brush. "Here you are," he said, setting the items beside Manta.

Positioning himself upright, Manta picked up the ink-brush, dipped it onto the black inkwell and poised above the paper. He wasn't much good at calligraphy, but he had taken classes before in the 20th century, and had practised a little during his stay in the Fujiwara household.

The blonde scribbled something that no one could see, and then picked it up and examined it. The characters looked a little clumsy, but it was still legible. He hoped the person would be able to recognize all of his Japanese characters.

"Can you pass this to Akiko-sama, please?" Manta handed the piece of folded paper to the young Asakura.

"Lady Akiko?" The Asakura took the paper, bewildered.

"She'll know it's from me once she reads it. I just hope she takes note of what I'm telling her in the letter," Manta said, casting a look at Li and Jin. Both smiled slightly.

"We will pass on the message," the elder Asakura intoned.

Manta barely nodded in gratitude before the door slid open again. "Jin-bocchama, Li-bocchama," the Taos' messenger greeted with a bow.

"Well?" Jin asked.

"All is ready. The driver says they may depart now. Long-sama and Hao-sama are already down by the back gates," the messenger informed.

"Good. Warn the rest, remember to keep a sharp lookout for anyone who might try to stop us from leaving," Jin warned.

"Hai." The messenger bowed again and shut the door.

Jin turned to look at his younger brother. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Oh yeah," Li said, as if he had just remembered something. "I'll meet you at the back then." With that, he left the room, his running footsteps fading into the distance.

"Come." Jin walked out through the open door as Manta struggled to his feet, supported by the monk. He nodded to the two Asakuras in a parting gesture, his lips upturning awkwardly.

As they reached the back, Manta glimpsed Tao Long, Hao and Matamune standing under a shelter, on the stone steps. The rain was still falling hard, and cold air felt moist and humid.

"Where's Li?" Tao Long asked the moment he saw his son.

"Retrieving the stuff," Jin answered. Manta followed his wary gaze as it slid over to Hao.

The onmyoji did not acknowledge their presence, but rather stared unblinkingly at the dark sky, which only lighted up during the periodic flashes of lightning. He was certainly a great deal calmer, but from the side view, Hao had the worn-out look of an exhausted traveller walking for days in a barren desert. Manta wanted to say something to him, but whatever phrases didn't string together properly and died halfway out from his throat.

"Yo!" Li's voice startled Manta.

The assassin was holding up a familiar green bag and a red bundled cloth. "Yours," Li said simply, handing the green bag to Manta. "All your weird stuff and clothes are inside. Hao-sama, the things you wanted." He passed the red bundle to Hao.

"Thank you," Hao said softly.

"Thanks," Manta uttered. He slipped the straps over his shoulders, a nice throb of nostalgia at having all his modern possessions passing over him.

"Where are the three of us going?" Matamune asked. His gaze never truly left his master as the cat addressed the question to Tao Long.

"It will be near a small village, in northern outskirts of Heian-kyo," Long said. "My driver will stay until you have checked into an inn there before returning."

"What about you?" Manta asked, turning to look at Li.

A hint of a smile played across Li's lips. "Me? Well, I'll be leaving for China tomorrow evening with my father and brother, of course. I don't think the Fujiwaras would want us imposing on their hospitality any further, especially after what I did to those brats and soldiers."

"So…" Something seemed to dislodge from his throat. "I guess this is goodbye, then?" Manta forced a carefree laugh, failing abysmally. His stomach was experiencing a strange plummeting sensation as well.

"I guess so." Li stopped, took a deep breath, then landed a hand on Manta's head, ruffling his hair. "We haven't known each other long, but it was fun. I really enjoyed our time together." The boy retracted his hand, letting it hang limply by his side. "Bye, Manta."

"Goodbye," Manta said, trying to keep a wobbly smile on his face.

"Don't make that kind of face, kid," Jin said. He bent down to shake the blonde's shoulder once. "You've still got things you have to do, don't you?" A fleeting look seemed to cross his eyes as they slid to his right, but it disappeared quickly. He then said something Manta didn't understand.

"It means 'goodbye' in Chinese." Jin grinned.

Hao stood upright from his leaning position on the wall. "It was a pleasure knowing all of you," he said as he regarded the Taos. "Goodbye." He ended off with a small bow as his right arm placed itself over his chest.

"Goodbye," all three Taos said in unison.

Hao turned towards the carriage and got in after pulling the shoji screen apart. A man held a plain straw umbrella to shelter the onmyoji from the pouring rain.

"Good luck, boy," Long said. "And you, Matamune – take care of your master. He isn't as all-powerful as he likes to believe himself to be. His mother used to say the same thing about him."

"You knew Hao-sama's mother?" Manta and Matamune questioned together, stunned.

"I did. I have a feeling your journey with Hao isn't coming to an end too soon," Long replied. "The Taos have had blood upon our souls for as long as anyone can remember, but even we respect courage when it shows. Do not let that spirit die out."

Manta couldn't exactly understand what the head of the Taos was trying to say, but he took them to heart, nevertheless. As the carriage began to move, Manta lifted the shoji screen at the back to peer at the three individuals standing on the stone steps and tried to memorize the vision, knowing full well he would never see them or the Fujiwara mansion again.

He waved once, and set the screen in place again.

* * *

_**END OF CHAPTER 15**_

**Author's Note: This – has got to be my longest chapter yet. I was actually thinking of splitting it into two chapters, but since I already said this was going to be the prologue to the next 'arc', I decided not to interrupt the flow. **

**So…it's goodbye to the Taos (was the last part too sappy/cliché?). Damn, their time here was too short, wasn't it?**

**Are you wondering about what happens to our 'favourite' siblings? Guess I'll leave their fates for the final chapters… hehe. **


	16. Chapter 16

**Through the Ages chpt 16**

College certainly ends a lot later every single damn day… On top of that, my muse for SK died a little. Blah. Must have been from re-watching all those Death Note episodes.

On another note, you might want to listen to "Okami" music while reading this. ^^ The music's beautiful, it really suits the settings in the Heian Period.

Many, many apologies and a new chapter…is presented.

**Disclaimer: Even in Death, Manta and Hao remained as pretty as little porcelain dolls. Their skin was a pale ivory white that somehow life couldn't give them, and their lips a blue black colour by the poison. Found slumped over their desk in a provincial examination by a dismayed Dr Matamune, their corpses were then swiftly carried away to the laboratories for examination.**

**"Don't you think that professor Matamune should have combed his hair that morning? I mean, look at this newspaper article! He looked simply horrid in that picture." Sage Hao commented with a frown.**

**Sage Manta was too busy crying to no****tice much past the title of 'Frostedheavens does not own Shaman King, once again!'**

**

* * *

**_He was shaking. _

_It wasn't him. Not this…wreckage of a man. Instead of the usual calming, gentle aura the older man exuded, which Manta could not help but compare right now, the aura now was…uncontrollable. Dark, malevolent, desperate…_

_Despair._

_Manta dug his nails into his palms, his fists trembling. If he could feel it even five feet away from this man, he could not begin to imagine what _he _had to be experiencing. _

"_I…__**hate**__…" The words spilled out of his mouth in a growling rasp. _

_Matamune stared unblinkingly beside the boy. Both their limbs had been frozen, rooted to the undeniable fact that right now, there was nothing they could do. Nothing. Except to wait for the rage to stop. _

_Neither of them made a sound as Hao straightened up on his knees and let out an animalistic cry of agony. _

* * *

The blonde laid still on his side on the futon, his knees folded as he stared blankly at a picturesque portrait of a mountain range on the wooden wall opposite him. The pattering sounds of a light, steady rainfall reached his ears, its rhythmic pattern bringing a strange comfort to him.

It had taken him a couple of minutes to place where he was, unused to the lower wooden ceiling, when he first woke up. When it hit him again that he would never be returning to the Fujiwara mansion, would never see Li any more, he'd closed his eyes, hugged himself, and turned onto his side.

And started his staring contest with the portrait some time from there.

Manta snuggled deeper into the warm covers of his blankets. He risked a peek at the onmyoji, who had not lain down, but instead sat with his back to the wall, his head bowed, his eyes closed. Hao had taken off his court hat, leaving his long trail of greyish-black hair fully visible, hanging by the sides of his face.

It didn't look like a very comfortable position to be sleeping in, but what did he know about Hao's sleeping habits?

Manta resumed his portrait-gazing. His thoughts were troubled.

Had it been all right for him to leave? Just like that? Even after he'd said to himself that he couldn't leave with all those questions unanswered, after so much fuss and injustice, he had done just that in the end. It had felt like a rational, logical course of action back then, but now…

Everything had just…_happened._ Who had instigated that coup against Hao? It certainly didn't take a genius to know… But at least in this case, Manta could guess why Yorimichi – or any other noble, for that matter – would want to get rid of him. Given Hao's status in the court, it was only natural that jealousy would rear its head. It most certainly could also have been stemmed from fear – Manta could definitely relate to that after seeing the extent of Hao's power in modern times.

Not that it didn't still make him feel like kicking those men where it hurt most, though.

The memory of Hao's reaction to this betrayal was a throbbing constant in his mind, as if he had just opened his eyes – and really, really looked at someone in a different way. The onmyoji's painted image in this Heian era had evidently made more of an impression on Manta than he'd thought, since that witness of such furious power rolling off the peaceful man… made him shudder.

_Oh, who cares about explaining it? _Manta thought in frustration. He was scared – it was just that damn simple. The blonde had had too many personal experiences with that emotion to mistake the tell-tale signs jangling within him.

The only thing closest to any proper action taken by him was to write that one letter to Akiko and hope that she would get the message. Odds were that the young bride-to-be would refuse to believe anything ill about her sister, much less believe a boy accused for demonic craft. But at least he'd tried, no matter how insignificant or useless it was going to be, to explain the whole truth of the matter.

Manta wondered what would become of the letter. _Probably burnt up by now, _a voice told him.

On top of everything, there was a strong half of him that tied him to this ancient time. Something was nagging him to stay, not just for this 'demon plot' as Manta had dubbed it – but there seemed to be something else he had to be responsible for, something he still had left to do in the Heian period. The fact he couldn't lay his finger on that particular notion annoyed him.

It didn't help that his other half was telling him to just get the hell back home and damn everything else, since there was nothing he could do about it, anyway. So what if he knew about this struggle of politics? His father hadn't even started grooming him yet for this kind of thing, which he would have to face when he was old enough to receive the company's reins from the older man.

And he really, really, really wanted to see his friends again. With a stab of guilt, Manta realised he hadn't spared them much thought, other than fleeting moments, as time passed with the Fujiwaras.

"Are you awake?" a soft voice interrupted his thoughts.

Manta jerked, startled. He shifted to stare into the eyes of Matamune beside him.

"Morning," he said.

"Good morning," Matamune replied. "What were you thinking about?"

"You were watching me the whole time?" Manta asked somewhat grumpily, as he pushed off the covers and sat up, despite the chilly winter atmosphere.

"I cannot sleep," Matamune answered simply. His tails twitched slightly as he flicked a quick gaze towards the still-sleeping Hao. "You looked so lost in thought."

"Just thinking," Manta said vaguely, plucking the hem of the white yukata a servant had given him the night before. His thoughts earlier had been too…messed. He didn't have an idea how to start.

"About Hao-sama?"

"Sort of." Was Manta's awkward reply.

"He scared all of us last night, didn't he?" Manta's insides did a little flip-flop at the blunt statement (not a question) as he nodded slowly.

The blonde boy swallowed once before asking something he had not, until now, clarified. "Matamune… did Hao's – I mean, Hao-sama's – reaction have anything to do with his…incident in Aokigahara?"

Manta phrased the question softly, not wanting Hao to wake up and hear them discussing this. At best, Hao would silence them with an icy look; at worst, well…

The cat was silent, his gaze fixated solely on his master. "Why do you think that?"

"Last night, I looked into his eyes," Manta mumbled. Flashbacks from yesterday and from Aokigahara moved swiftly across his mind. "It had the same expression as when he reacted in the forest. It's not…normal."

Manta felt a little stupid then. Frying living humans wasn't "normal" by any standards. But there had to be something he didn't know, something Hao didn't want people to know and had probably kept hidden for years.

"Manta…" The cat took a deep breath, which Manta recognized as a sign before people were about to say something big. "I too, have a feeling you won't be leaving us soon yet, so I think…you deserve to know something about Hao-sama's past."

Manta waited, all too aware that said person was sitting just across them.

"I do not think Hao-sama told me everything about himself, but what I do know is that he loved his mother very much. She was a… shaman who could communicate with animal spirits and the like, particularly foxes. But…" Matamune closed his eyes, as if remembering the scene like he himself had experienced it.

"There were humans who feared his mother because of her abilities, and they believed her to be a demon in disguise. They burned down the house along with her in it. I believe Hao-sama was spared because he was not home on during that period of time. I imagine his mother refused to mention where her son was, to keep him alive."

"You mean they even wanted to kill a child?" Manta said, aghast. "He didn't even do anything!"

Matamune smiled bitterly. " 'A child of the demon cannot be anything else but a demon as well,'" he mandated. "There was no reason why they shouldn't get rid of a child, instead of waiting for him to grow up into another full-fledged demon like his mother."

Making no response to Manta's outraged scowl, the cat continued quietly. "Hao-sama returned home to see his house on fire and his mother was nowhere to be seen. I suppose the tauntings he received from the other village children revealed what had happened to his mother." Matamune flicked another glance towards his master. "Children can be cruel. Hao-sama had suffered persecution from the other children his age for being the son of a so-called fox demon, until finally… The beatings took its toll, and he was driven out from the nearby village."

Silence fell. Pity, anger, sorrow, and a strange empathy meshed together in a huge mass of emotions inside Manta, whose mind was racing forward as if stringing together pieces of a puzzle.

_Every villain is a hero in his own story._ The phrase popped up in his mind from nowhere, even though he couldn't remember where he had heard of it before. The future Hao would embark on the path of destruction – he would become a killer. He would be hunted by people almost driven insane with a thirst for revenge against Asakura Hao and his deeds; he would destroy them, he would be hunted, and the whole cycle would start again. Manta shivered.

Humans. Strangely enough, they were the source of the future Hao's motivation as he moved steadily with a cheerful smile and a cold glint in his eyes, to reach the top of the world, and destroy it. If he succeeded…would it be in 2012, where the Mayan calendar predicted the end of the fourth world? (Now he remembered it was from an online research website) Or would fires consume every single human immediately after he won the Fight and assumed the title of Shaman King?

Manta's mind was whirling, arguments and counter-arguments of his own mental philosophy debate filling up every empty space in his brain. Humans weren't blameless. They were, without doubt, capable of any form of cruelty for the sake of setting their minds at ease. They were greedy, they were just plain _repulsive_ with the way they treated Hao and his mother – but surely that wasn't reason for killing _all_ of them? Surely no one had the right to determine the extermination of mankind, Shaman King or not?

But if the power of the Great Spirits allowed that sort of thing to happen… did it mean that it was, well, allowed? Was it all right to destroy the old foundation and rebuild a new one on top of it, as long as the Shaman King held enough power to do so?

Manta jolted, and gritted his teeth. Pathetic. Murder was serious, and he was thinking about the extermination of the entire human race! And he was wavering, unable keep his stance firm by his beliefs - his friends' beliefs. What had Yoh been fighting for then..?

The thought of Yoh's expression if he knew of Manta's previous doubts added a gulping wave of shame in addition to his messed-up feelings.

"Are you all right, Manta?" the worried voice of Matamune called to him.

"I'm…fine," he forced himself to say. He took a breath to bring himself under control. "But if that's why Hao-sama lost control at those people last night, then why did he break down so badly in Aokigahara, just as when the spirit swept by us?"

Matamune offered a small smile towards the boy beside him. "I believe that is something Hao-sama should choose to tell you or not." His tone was almost sympathetic, but the firmness in it was unmistakeable.

Shifting slightly on the futon, Manta faced the cat squarely. "So…there's nothing else besides that I don't know? Nothing else kept secret from me?"

"Not that I know of," Matamune reassured him.

"Good," Manta breathed out.

With the natural grace born to a feline, Matamune stood and unfolded himself from the tangles of the thick blankets. "Shall we go down for breakfast then?"

Manta looked uncertainly at the sleeping Hao. "He will come down when it is time," Matamune said in response.

"Okay then," Manta said, stretching and yawning simultaneously. "Is there anywhere I can wash up first?"

"There is," Matamune replied, before grinning wryly. "Your breath smells odd in the mornings."

A wet blush painted itself across the small boy's round face. "Sh-shut up!" he whispered indignantly, never forgetting the other sleeping occupant in the room.

Matamune chuckled to himself as the pair of them exited from the room. The door closed, leaving the onmyoji alone in the retreating silence as footsteps gradually disappeared.

Hao opened his eyes, stared unblinkingly at the closed door, and had to smile dryly at the thought of their reactions if they had known he had been awake the entire time.

* * *

A good wash-up, warm clothes provided by the innkeeper, and simple but delicious fare (barley, pickled vegetables, starched dumplings) did wonders for one's spirit, and Manta's mood had taken a definite upturn – cheerful, even – as he ate with relish.

"Here you go." One of the elderly servants placed a cup of steaming green tea beside Manta's bowl.

"Thank you," Manta said, albeit a little muffled, his mouth full.

Manta glanced around as he chewed on his dumplings. The inn was small, but not stuffily so. It looked just like the inns Manta had seen on television and his history books – wooden walls, tables and benches, a roaring fireplace that had to be regularly filled with logs by one of the female servants. Only a few portraits and scrolls with characters that Manta didn't fully understand hung around the inn walls; other than that, for most part, it was bare.

There didn't seem to be many people staying in the inn, which wasn't surprising given that they were staying near the outskirts of Heian-kyo. Manta gave another brief glance to check they were out of earshot, then commented quietly to Matamune: "Hao-sama's late."

Matamune looked up from his bowl of carrots and vegetables, looking almost adorably cat-like as he licked his mouth from remnants of food. He didn't look too thrilled with this assortment – he wasn't vegetarian, by any means, but both of them thought it best for him to act as much as a normal cat would. "So he is," Matamune whispered back.

"Maybe he's exhausted from last night," Manta said, trying not to move his lips too much. Talking to a cat – much less one that talked back – wouldn't sit well with most normal people. "Still, doesn't he have a lot of Furyoku?"

"Strong displays of emotion take its toll on a shaman's spirit more than Furyoku itself," Matamune answered. "So he – oh."

Manta looked up to see a figure moving down the staircase. "G-good morning," Manta called out somewhat nervously.

"Good morning," Hao said. He looked pale and rather drawn, but was nevertheless smiling.

Manta couldn't help but notice that Hao's meal was served faster than his or Matamune's, and the blushing face of one of the servant girls made him want to shake his head in wry annoyance and amusement at the same time. Whether or not it was Hao's undeniably good looks or perhaps just his aura…or perhaps a little of both…

"Did you sleep well?" Hao asked as he lifted his tea cup. The girl rushed away, half-relieved and half-disappointed that the onmyoji hadn't acknowledged her attentions.

"Yes," Manta responded while Matamune made a mewing sound in reply. "Did you?"

"I cannot complain." As Hao proceeded to eat, Manta decided on allowing him several minutes before asking.

"What's the plan for now?"

Hao glanced at him sideways. "Ushitora," he said.

"Sorry?"

"We will head for Ushitora, the North-east shrine near Osorezan mountain," Hao explained. Manta's insides gave a little flip as a spark of recognition of the mountain's name.

"If all goes well, we will reach there in about 4 days' time," the onmyoji continued. "I will attempt to invoke the spell using the shamanic forces of Ushitora, and send you back to your own time there."

Memories of a dark, almost eerie empty space nearby a mountain with an icy river he had nearly suffered frostbite from by just inserting a small digit into it flooded his mind…and of course, two loyally bloodthirsty monsters.

"But couldn't we have just asked the Taos' driver to bring us there directly instead of coming all the way here?" Manta asked, frowning.

"No. Ushitora is a place concealed by a barrier that not only prevents means such as teleportation, it is impossible to be found by someone other than an Asakura – or anyone not receiving training under the Asakura family," Hao explained. "In other words, I could give you direct instructions on how to arrive at Ushitora, but you will end up finding nothing."

"So…"

"The only way to find it is to follow an Asakura or someone involved deeply with the Asakura powers," Hao said. "With the Asakura's consent, of course."

"Will the barrier work forever?" Manta inquired, unable to help recalling the time he and Tamao had followed Yohmei and Anna.

Hao looked at him, eyebrow slightly raised at the strange question. "I dare say it will."

Then it hit him. "Oh…you're the one who made the barrier?" He received a nod in reply.

So the path to home was still clear - a mere four days away. That was a relief. But there was still that irritating feeling he couldn't quite define…

"What happened to Keiko wasn't your fault," Hao spoke quietly. "And there is nothing a boy of thirteen can do to help in political affairs, so there is no reason for you to stay here."

Manta cringed, as though someone had taken a cane and tapped it sharply on his head. Matamune looked over at his master, his gaze a mixture of disapproval and something else altogether.

"You didn't have to bring _that_ up," Manta said, but it came out as more of a dissatisfied mumble.

"I'm only telling you this because the spell cannot work if you don't learn to let go of things here," Hao told him calmly, looking at him straight in the eye. "Meaning unless you truly wish to return, the spell will fail and you will remain here as long as your heart holds you back."

"But I never wanted to go back in time in the first place," Manta protested. "And I still ended up here."

Hao didn't speak until he had finished the last of his barley strings. "I don't know why that happened either," he admitted. "Or maybe you simply didn't want to acknowledge that you did want to travel back in time, whatever the reason may be."

Manta's eyes widened, and his mind screeched to a halt.

By the time he found a reply, Hao had already stood up and left the table. Only silence remained.

* * *

Afternoon had barely dawned when they left the inn.

Following Hao's instructions, Manta had changed into the normal, rugged peasant wear of the _hitatare_ instead of his rather noticeable Fujiwara garb. For the rest of the morning, Manta and Matamune folded the futons (no room service in this inn), went for a hot bath in the tubs, and on Manta's part, packed his bag. An old rucksack was provided for him to transfer all of his school things into – he just had to dump his conveniently foldable school bag into the sack as well.

_Good disguise_, Manta thought, as they trudged across the snowy roads outside. Now he had assumed the appearance of an ordinary commoner.

Hao, on the other hand, had only washed in a white yukata using a bucket, after settling the payment and check-out procedures with the innkeepers. He too, had changed, but not by a whole lot as Manta had. His robes were similar to the old ones he'd worn as an onmyoji, but this time he had chosen to leave behind his court hat, allowing his long grey hair to flow freely.

"Are we going into another village or something?" Manta asked, more out of the sake of asking rather than of any real curiosity.

"Yes," Hao replied without looking at Manta.

Manta waited for something more substantial than that, but Hao said nothing more. Though he didn't dare press for more information, Manta couldn't help but feel a bit hurt at Hao's abrupt answer. Neither could he help but notice the slight aloofness in Hao's attitude towards him throughout the exchanges in the morning. Perhaps he had imagined it?

_Maybe he's still angry about last night, _Manta pondered glumly. _Maybe he hates that sort of pathetic resistance – that _would _be just like him. _

The rain had stopped, but Manta knew that wouldn't have been a problem, with Hao around. For the next three hours, they walked non-stop without a word across the bare plains which would have been at its most magnificent in the spring. For now, the trees were bare, and everywhere was white, white and more white.

In a way, the long walk provided Manta – and possibly his other two companions - the opportunity to simply indulge in his own thoughts without distractions. Past events jumped from one to another in an almost lazy manner in his mind as he trudged through the snow mechanically. Silence was only broken by Hao's occasional warnings of slippery areas, or brief inquiries about his companions' physical well-being, to which they always replied with a "I'm all right".

Just as Manta thought he was about to faint from fatigue and hunger (breakfast seemed like such a long time ago), peeks of thatched roofs from the white covers came into view. "Is that it?" Manta asked hopefully.

"Yes," Hao said.

"Thank god…" Manta mumbled, his head falling weakly to the side, a stupid grin tugging the corners of his mouth. A strange noise brought him out of his stupor.

"Eh…" A splash of red painted itself over Manta's face as he realized his stomach was growling.

Matamune snickered.

"Shut up," Manta snapped.

"Be patient, Manta," Hao said over his shoulder, a half-grin tugging the corners of his mouth.

Manta was about to retort (read: gibber), but fell silent as Hao turned back to face the front. A curious sense of relief flickered in him.

_Maybe I did imagine it after all. _

The village was fairly busy, despite the cold winter. Villagers scurried everywhere as fast as they could through the heavy piles of snow on the ground, carrying goods on wooden carts. Several were raking the ground, clearing the snow to the side to form a single path for easier transport. Stalls were set up, selling their wares as usual – a group of excited women were hanging around the make-up store, while others gathered around stalls selling hot, steamed buns, relieving their stomachs and the cold.

The smell of the buns wafted towards Manta's nose, making him hungrier than ever. "Control yourself, Manta," Matamune admonished.

"I didn't do anything!" Manta snapped.

"Oh no? You're practically drooling at the mouth," Matamune shot back.

"_You _don't have any idea how it's like to be human, having to have food and water all the time…"

"I eat food too…"

"But you don't get hungry as in _hungry…_"

"You'll get hungrier if you get angry," Hao remarked.

"I will not!" Another growl from his traitorous stomach.

Before another blush could form on Manta's face, Hao halted in his tracks.

"What's wrong, Hao-sama?" Matamune quizzed. Then his eyes widened.

Standing in front of a wooden house was a group of men, apparently conversing with its inhabitants. Even from a distance, Manta had no trouble identifying them.

"Wha – _soldiers?!_"

* * *

_**OMAKE**_

The trio had been walking for _ages_. Just to kill the silence and distract himself from the pleas his stomach was making, Manta posed a question.

"Ano…Hao-sama?"

"What is it, Manta?"

"How come you didn't change into something more different? You don't look all that different…"

"What would you suggest then?"

The blonde thought. Then he stopped in his tracks.

Both the onmyoji and the cat stopped too to stare at him. "What? Did you really come up with something?" Matamune asked quizzically.

Manta stalked up to the taller man, and gazed intently into his face. Hao raised his eyebrows.

"You know, with a face like yours… You could actually dress up as a woman!"

Silence.

"Umm… Ah… A really, really elegant woman… A dancer, maybeeeee…? Okay, I'm sorry, please, don't look at me like that… ARGGGH!"

Even the brainiest kids become ridiculously foolish without food.

* * *

_**END OF CHAPTER 16**_

**Author's Note: Heh…just a random idea that came up while I was chatting to a friend over yahoo. XD **

**Not much real stuff happening yet, it seems. Starting a new arc's tougher than I thought. Hope y'all don't feel TOO cheated with something like this. D: **

**Many thanks to everyone who reviewed! **

**So... Review, eh? **

To Hoshisama-valmor: Good question. ^^ I was planning on setting this on the year nearest to Hao's death, but I didn't know which year it was... so yesh, it'll be 1005. Thanks for sharing!


	17. Chapter 17

**Through the Ages chpt 17**

How long has it been? –counts- My, my…nearly two months hasn't it? I have no excuse other than the usual frustrations for an ff author. Fortunately, the school break's coming in about two weeks, and _maybe, _I'd be able to plan out something for Chapter 18. Of course, the series of tests in the last week and a potential course I signed up for over the break demands my utmost return to college, so…Heaven help me.

Hope you enjoy chapter 17!

**Disclaimer: ****Pulling out a ring with a dramatic flair, Yoh knelt down and presented it to an arms - akimbo Anna.**

**"Marry me, Anna dar -"**

**A smack signalled the response that one would expect. What resulted from Yoh's declaration was a large hand print on his left cheek.**

**Anna, in a deadly soft voice and cold narrowed eyes, whispered.**

**"Frostedheavens does not own Shaman King."**

**

* * *

**Manta swallowed.

Soldiers. They had already traced them to the northern outskirts in a matter of mere hours, hardly half a day.

Oh damn.

"Hao…!" Manta could feel another panic seizure attack coming on as he spun his head to look at the onmyoji. Who was…

Smiling?

"Hey!" His startled cry escaped his throat before he could do anything to suppress it when Hao strode forward, nothing but confidence in his gait.

Hao stopped. "There's nothing to worry about. Follow me," he reassured, turning his head back to look at the pair behind before continuing forward.

Manta stared after him with an open mouth, only coming to his senses after a firm nudge against his leg. The blonde started after both Hao and Matamune hesitantly.

The closer he got, the more he realized that there was something a bit different about these soldiers. Their uniforms were not the same as the ones at the Fujiwaras, and even their hair had been done up differently.

As soon as they were about five feet away from the soldiers, the men stopped their conversation with whoever was in the house and noticed their approach. Manta tensed, but relaxed after he saw them bow respectfully to Hao.

A woman stepped out from the house. She was young, probably in her early twenties, and her pale face emitted the kind of pure beauty Manta often noticed (secretly) about Anna. Black tresses hung loosely down her back, visibly stretching past her waist even as she lifted a pale hand to pull back the shoji screen obscuring the inside of the hut.

"Hao," she addressed simply, even as she raised an eyebrow in both question and recognition. "What are you doing here?"

"Furin," Hao greeted in reply, smiling. "I haven't seen you since the incident involving White Fang."

The woman nodded to the soldiers in polite dismissal, which they obeyed immediately. The men adjusted their weapons while they strode past the trio, curiosity evident upon their features.

"What were you doing?" Hao asked.

"Normal business. The eastern province soldiers arrived with thanks after I helped banish another snow demon from their city."

Hao's eyebrows knitted slightly. "The same kind as White Fang, or a different sort altogether?"

The woman shook her head. "Different. The snow creatures are getting more restless than usual this winter, so I warned the soldiers about a potential blizzard over their region in the upcoming days. And you still have not answered my previous question."

His lips only upturned further, reminiscent of his second incarnation's self, amused grin and all. "Furin, you're as blunt as ever."

"And you remain as irritatingly evasive as ever," the woman retorted. Her glacial orbs swept over below her, and she smiled slightly as Matamune padded over to receive a few pats from her. Then she looked at Manta.

"This is?"

"This is Oyamada Manta, and he'll be accompanying me over the next few days. We met in the Fujiwara household," Hao explained. "Manta, this is Furin, a miko of this village."

"I-it's nice to meet you," Manta said.

Furin nodded. While her countenance was cool, she did not appear unfriendly either. Manta couldn't help but warm to her instantly.

"Would you mind if we come inside for the moment?" Hao asked pleasantly.

"You would invite yourself in even if I said I did," Furin answered even as she stepped aside to allow them in.

"You don't have to act like you don't wish for my presence," Hao remarked and regarded her with amusement.

Furin shot him a mild glare as she opened her mouth to reply, but all was silenced by a large, LARGE shadow looming behind her.

A person, clearly taller than the entrance to the hut itself, appeared from the shadows behind Furin. She – yes, a female – had a pinched, tanned face, with a thick, coarse neck expanding into broad, rounded shoulders. Her hands were comparable to the rough size of wide plates, attached to arms that looked as if they had never gone without a day of lifting weights. She was a giant in every possible sense of the word, and the flowery-patterned kimono she wore did absolutely nothing to bely the ruffian air she seemed to project in tantalizing waves.

Manta tried to smother a belated shriek that hung out of his mouth as his feet carried him about three feet back. He was nearly ran over by an oncoming cart of goods and mumbled hasty apologies to an annoyed wheeler.

"You," the second woman rumbled in a deep, rough voice. "have some nerve, flirting with Furin in broad daylight. A monk and a shrine maiden together…UNBECOMING!" She boomed out the last word, causing some startled looks cast by passers-by. But they merely shook their heads and went about their business, as if too used to giant ladies hollering randomly at random people.

"Oh, Mother…" Furin sighed, brushing a lock of dark hair out of her eyes.

_Mother?! _Manta's mind shrieked.

"Good afternoon, madam." Hao smiled up at her, apparently un-intimidated by hovering human boulders at least three feet taller than he was. Which was saying something – Hao wasn't exactly a midget.

"Don't 'good afternoon' me," the woman growled. "What are you doing here? Last I checked, you don't bring your cat with you on your rounds. Or a kid."

"I will explain in due time, of course," Hao said. "Starting with food, and a place to sit down, perhaps?"

Furin's mother stared at him, before snorting heavily. "You sure know how to talk," she said. "Fine then. BOY!" She bellowed.

"Yes!" Manta squeaked.

"Quit lying there and come in! You're blocking the way." Indeed, people were shooting annoyed frowns at the lone boy as they were forced to take detours to prevent trampling him. Manta hastened to his feet.

As the trio strode into the house, Manta caught Hao's amused glance at him. Glaring half-heartedly at the other man, the blonde scurried to a tatami mat around a warm fire.

* * *

"Do you mean tell me," Furin said. "That this boy is from the _future_?"

Manta's eyes darted nervously from each adult's face, who were scrutinizing him closely. Furin's mother (whose name he didn't know) was particularly noticeable.

A few minutes ago, however, even the very real giantess in front of him couldn't whet his appetite. The moment the bowl of hot, soupy broth was placed (or slammed) in front of him, a devouring rampage took Manta over, regardless of the initial coughing and sputtering at the scalding, peppery taste.

He finished the bowl within five minutes, after which Hao had explained everything. The plot of Yorimichi and Murasaki's, the accusations that had fallen upon Manta, the arrival of the Taos, and how Manta had been blamed for the mysterious deaths. The blonde looked away when Keiko's name was mentioned.

Naturally, no one mentioned Hao's loss of control and his burning of five humans to death just before they made their escape.

Manta's little time travel excursion was something that could not be left out though, for whatever Hao wanted from Furin. "It is…bizarre," Hao admitted. "But nothing ever is impossible."

There was a pause. Manta fidgeted under everyone's stares, feeling like a naughty child placed in front of his parents debating about his punishment.

Furin broke the silence with a neutrality Manta couldn't help but admire. "What help do you seek from me?"

"I want you to come with us," Hao replied simply. "It will take us four days to reach Mount Terror, from where I will have to send Manta home. I need your power."

Furin arched an eyebrow. "My power?" she asked. "It's not very often you require extra help, do you?"

Hao let out a slight smile. "I was hoping for another two weeks, when there will be a new moon, but with the way things are, we don't have that much time. At my current level, it will be harder to invoke the spell by myself, especially since time travel requires a great amount of Furyoku in order to be done correctly."

"And you think you have the right to skip off with my daughter as and when you please?" Furin's giantess mother spoke suddenly.

Manta jumped. He hadn't been expecting her to speak at all. Or maybe it was her voice, laced with a constant thunderous roll.

The onmyoji looked calmly at the glaring woman. "I would not be asking this of her if I had another choice."

"A line which I hate even more than 'I would if I could'," she growled. "Who else do you go to when something goes wrong?"

"No one," Hao replied. "I have a general dislike towards being unable to do anything that requires an extra pair of hands."

"What is happen to the village with Furin gone then?" Furin's mother shot back. If possible, her silhouette seemed to grow even bigger. "She is the only miko of this village, and winters are always hard times for the villagers. Furin should not have to go anywhere unless it involves work – not one of your adventures."

"I will be willing to pay her, if you wish," Hao said coolly. He matched his gaze against the bigger woman, a figurative shadow clouding his eyes for an instant.

The atmosphere had changed. It morphed from the relatively neutral air before to a dangerous one, intoxicated with unspoken challenge and threat. Beside him, Manta could feel Matamune's fur beginning to stand on its end. Manta himself could feel sweat forming across his forehead.

It was Furin who broke the spell. "Mother," she spoke gently, but with firmness. She rested a pale hand on her mother's arm. "Please calm yourself."

Her mother held the glare for several more suffocating seconds, before visibly relaxing. "You're agreeing to his call, aren't you?" she said to her daughter, sounding as if she had swallowed incredibly bitter medicine.

"I'll be all right, Mother." Furin turned towards Hao. "No payment needed."

Literally, the large woman stormed to her feet, shooting what seemed to be glares at everyone, and exited the hut.

* * *

"_We'll be setting off first thing tomorrow morning. Rest well." _

Instead, the short boy was shovelling snow with a long, wooden rake. Manual labour was always a repetitive process – dig, lift, toss. It took him only five minutes to comprehend how back-breaking the work was. Furin's mother didn't pull any punches either when it came to household chores.

"Do you," he panted. "Know what was going on back there?"

"Hao-sama and the miko's mother?" Matamune said. He was sitting loftily on the roof of the hut, staring down as Manta slogged, much to the boy's displeasure.

Only the two of them were left alone in the house. It was getting dark, but Furin and her mother had nipped down to the closing village stalls for some last-minute purchase of whatever the miko needed for her trip together with them. Hao… had gone off somewhere. Night-time walks alone were his favourite pastime, according to Matamune.

"Furin's mother looked ready to rip his throat out," Manta spoke through gritted teeth, his aching arms screaming in protest as he lifted what felt like a ton wad of snow and dumped it onto the bulging pile on the cart beside him. "Did they have a grudge in the past or something?"

Matamune shrugged. "Who knows?"

Manta stopped, leaning against the cart for support. "Well, that's certainly insightful…"

"Why don't you ask him directly then?"

"Yeah right…"

"Your cart's overturning."

"ARGH - Oof – ow – ow – "

Matamune continued tonelessly, ignoring the series of "ow ow ow ow…" that was going on below. "I only know that Hao-sama met Furin-sama before he took me into his care."

"You mean they were partners in demon rituals and stuff?" Manta panted, leaning against the door instead, wiping his face with the back of his hand.

"I suppose so. Hao-sama never told me about her in detail, but he does seem to trust her."

Manta lowered his hand, silent, as he mulled over the cat's words.

_Trust…huh. _He thought to himself. Manta resumed his snow-digging.

"_It is all right to feel upset. After all, it's in the nature of humans to be powerless…" _

The patronizing kindness that had accompanied the remark would have stirred indignation in Manta on any other day, but now, all it did was make him… contemplative.

Hao _didn't _trust anyone. Trust had go hand-in-hand with a belief in friendship and love, didn't it? The future Hao certainly had nothing but well-disguised gentle scorn for the subject. But what about now? Here?

The persecution during his childhood wouldn't help matters any, blamed for nothing but for who he was, whom he couldn't _help _being. The onmyoji's anger had to stem from a reason, and if it was anything Manta to point the finger at, it would have to have been coming home to a burning house with his mother trapped inside, and him, a lone child, unable to do anything but watch from outside.

Certainly, that didn't condone what the millennium-older Hao did or was going to do, but…

Signs of his troubled rage against humans had already begun to manifest. If last night was any proof of a worsening… _condition _of sorts, when would the true disgust settle in, enough for Hao to embark upon the world's destruction of mankind?

The very thought chilled him to the bone.

A sudden flicker of a certain…understanding started to come to him then. _I wonder… if I'm able to…_

"Hah! As if!" Manta laughed out loud. He continued to chuckle, drawing strange looks from Matamune above him.

"Are you all right?" He frowned.

Manta coughed, embarrassed but still unable to prevent small giggles from escaping his mouth. "Sorry… I just thought of something impossible."

"Impossible?"

"Yeah. Not possible. Absolutely crazy. Like hell I could do that. Right?"

Matamune drew back a little despite the distance between them, as if apparent insanity was contagious. "If you say so."

"If it's going to be anyone, it'll probably be that scary woman Hulk who'd beat him up whenever he acts up and goodness, I'll bet that she'd be able to squash anyone like a bug under her – " Manta babbled on, not knowing or caring that Matamune was looking past him in dismay.

"Did you call?" A low voice sounded from behind him. "Midget."

Manta shrieked for a second time that day and tried to scramble back from the looming holy terror above him. "Umm..ano…"

"Mother," Furin sighed.

"If you got something to say, speak up, midget," her mother continued, a threatening menace.

"Midget?!" Manta blabbered, embarrassed, furious and frightened all at the same time.

_God, she's even worse than Anna! _

"Mother, stop it." Furin took a step forward, her hand extended.

"T-thanks," Manta mumbled, placing his own small hand in hers as she pulled him to his feet with a strength unexpected of a woman with her frame. He stumbled slight when she let go, aches and muscle strains over his whole body.

"You're going to have to work on your fitness, Manta," Furin chided. "The journey to Mount Terror will not be easy."

"Can't you get a horse or something? It simply won't do for my precious girl to get poor blisters on her delicate feet."

Manta blinked. And shot a stare at Furin's basket.

"Heya." A grinning face of a man shoved itself right into Manta's.

If there was anything else to exercise his voice box, it was this. "SHUT UP!" the Giantess roared over the blonde's yells. The next moment, the blonde was sailing headfirst through air and into the snow, with the woman swiping her hands together as if congratulating herself on a job well done.

"Hmmm…?" the man pondered aloud, scratching his chin with an intangible hand. "My, this kid scares easily, doesn't he?"

Furin shot a look that was half-annoyed, half-amused at the man's head. He looked human enough. The only outward thing that separated him from the rest was that he was now drifting lightly above the basket, leaving the space where his legs should have been as a blur, smoky screen.

"How many times have I told you not to do that, Goro?" Furin said.

The translucent mirage grinned. All of their gazes rested upon Manta, who had somehow managed to heave himself out of the snow, all the while spitting out balls of snow threatening to choke the air out of him. "W-w-who…"

"Am I?" The man folded his arms. "Goro the Dog Emperor."

One…two…three beats of silence.

A strange noise emitted from Manta's mouth. Goro stared at the boy, then shifted his gaze to Furin. "I may be wrong," he said in a voice of forced calm. "But is this boy _laughing _at me?"

"Let's see," Furin answered, keeping her eyes on the spectacle in front of her. "He's holding his stomach. His face is turning red. He's making strange noises through his teeth. He's shaking. All symptoms of hilarity, Goro."

"Or," the Giantess said dryly. "He could be constipated."

Goro laughed. And then stopped.

"What," he growled, strikingly dog-like, through gritted teeth. (A tremendous feat, noted by the people around him, given that he wasn't solid at all) "the *&!** are you laughing at, BOY?!"

"I-I'm sorry!" Manta gasped out, trying to regain normal respiratory and speech functions. "I-it's just…ahem…Goro the D-dog Emperor…sounds a little…"

"A little _what_?"

"A bit like…_cough_... the cartoons I used to watch…" Manta cleared his throat. "I'm sorry."

The spirit named Goro glared at him, then snorted.

"Sorry, he says," he muttered. "Sorry, ooh I hate that word, it's chock full to the brim with self-righteousness self-centred-ness and shallowness with no use or help or comfort to the other party only to make the person saying it feel disgustingly good about themselves like…."

"Meet Goro, Manta," Furin introduced, paying no heed whatsoever to the rambling ghost. "He is, in a certain sense, my Guardian Spirit."

"Your spirit? Where did you get him from?"

"How rude! I wasn't 'gotten'!" Goro exclaimed, his attention diverting abruptly.

"He's from the nearby temple," Furin continued as if there had been no interruption. She lifted the hand holding the basket. In a flash of light that had Manta holding both hands to shield his eyes from the glare, a finely-pointed, double-bladed sword materialized itself in her hand.

"Wo—ah-ahh?" Was Manta's response.

"This baby is my real abode, kid," Goro announced with a flourish. He swooped down to stroke the blades as if they were his first-born son.

"FATHER!" a voice cried out. Manta yelped.

Goro drew back like he had made contact with hot iron.

An image of a rather feminine young man with scruffy black hair took shape, drifting smokily in the same way as Goro's form had, out of the other blade of the sword. He looked grumpy in the way sullen teenagers often did.

"You disturbed my nap, Father!" the man whined in a high-pitched, girly squeal.

"Sorry, son," Goro coughed.

Manta leaned away warily. "Umm…who is this?" He mustered enough will to speak politely.

"He's my son," Goro said before the other man could say anything. "He's Hideyuki, but he prefers people to call him Yuki-chan. Don't ask me why – "

"Yuki-chan fits me to a tee!" the young man said stubbornly. "Aren't I as beautiful as the pure gleaming white snow all around us?" He stared dreamily at the snow pile Manta had just shoveled.

Manta coughed.

"Well…nice to meet you," Manta said hurriedly.

'Yuki-chan' turned to meet the younger boy's eyes, his eyes widened in surprise as though he had just spotted him. Which he didn't before.

"Oh my…" He squinted at Manta, leaning in uncomfortably close to Manta's face. The boy grinned awkwardly back.

"HE'S SO CUTE!" Yuki-chan squealed suddenly. Before the blonde realized what was happening, he was already enveloped (aka trapped) in the other ghost's fierce embrace.

"AA-aaghh…" Manta tried to gather enough breath to scream for his life.

_Why…what the hell is it with all these weirdos today??!_

"G-get OFF! You're s-strangling…a man and a man hugging…JUST WRONG! ALL WRONG!" He finally managed to shriek.

"Oh? But you're still a young, _cute _child! I've never met any as small as you are!"

"SAY WHAT?! Argh – get off – not breathing – "

A gentle crunch of footsteps went unheard by the two, one deaf to all else but his newfound play-pet, another yelling himself hoarse. "I see they've met," Hao said, watching the scene with interest.

"Yo, Hao," Goro greeted merrily. "I haven't seen you in a while."

The onmyoji threw a smile at the self-proclaimed Dog Emperor. "Sensei," he addressed him.

Goro grinned. "Told you not to call me that any more."

"Old habits die hard," Hao replied. "Did you get everything you needed?"

"I only need this," Furin responded. Her tone was dismissive, but something undeniably fond flickered in her eyes as she stared at the weapon in her hand. It was a magnificent object to behold, even for many inexperienced with swordsmanship, with contrasting dark green and pale red hilts for each blade, the shiny metal curved in the opposite directions at the ends. The weapon looked wholly out of place in the miko's hand, its majesty conflicting with her petite – though tall – figure. However, there was no doubt that she wielded it with fluid, skilled motion, as the woman spun it once single-handedly.

At once, both Goro and his son retreated into their respective blades, their protests dying out before they could even begin. Manta massaged his throat as the double-blade sword reverted its form into a harmless visage of a straw basket.

He noticed Hao the moment he tore his cautious gaze from the basket. "Oh um… Welcome back."

Hao nodded in acknowledgment, then turned to face Furin. "Soldiers will be on the lookout for us," he warned. "We may be intercepted on the way, so if you – "

"Useless words," Furin retorted calmly. "Should we prepare a horse?"

Silence stretched on for a few, contemplative seconds. "No," Hao exhaled, smiling almost in resignation. "It will cost too much to feed, especially if it cannot graze in this winter. And there are no heavy goods to carry; we have no need for them."

"Well, that's too bad," the Giantess rumbled. She tilted her head back, making herself look even more massive. "Because I will go with you, heavyweight or not."

Manta blinked in surprise. Even Hao raised an eyebrow at that. "I thought you were going to stay in the village to cater to the villagers' needs."

"First," she growled. "I am no spineless servant – I don't _cater_ to people's damn needs. Second, our people aren't soft. Three – we're not the only healers in this village. And _lastly _– Furin will not go alone with you."

Furin gave a muted sigh. "I'm agreeable." But she didn't look happy about it.

"Very well," Hao complied. His face then split into a wry smile. "I received more people than I bargained for."

Furin's mother growled. "I'm referring to Furin's spirits as well," Hao sighed.

"You still have not gotten a spirit," Furin noted. "It will greatly benefit your strength, powerful as it already is."

Again, a flicker of the familiar grin showed. "Many thanks for the compliment," he said. "But I already have a reliable Goryoushin – " He flicked his gaze upwards at Matamune. "And I have no need for another one."

Manta glanced upwards. Even though the cat had diverted his gaze away from present company, he still could glimpse the shadow of a smile on his feline face.

"You have no need for one," Furin agreed thoughtfully. "That means you could have one if you wanted to. So tell me. What sort _would _you like for one?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I'm curious."

Hao didn't say anything. He turned his face upwards once more, this time fixing his gaze on the blackened sky. Manta could hear sounds of the other villagers' muffled voices exchanging parting words with their fellowmen as they disappeared into their houses to retire for the night.

"Fire," Hao finally said.

"Fire?"

"Fire cleanses," Hao said. A subtle smile split his face. "Fire destroys. The elements are all significant in the great circle of life, but I have always regarded flames as a symbol for paving ways forward with its bright, passionate vigour…perhaps, a fire spirit would serve me well."

Furin smirked, remarking on how mushy and poetic his words had sounded. As the rest of them (Goro's and Yuki-chan's voices boomed out of the basket) participated in light banter, no one noticed the strained smile across the blonde's face as he fought the shiver running down his spine.

* * *

_**11:56pm. November 1999, Funbari Hill**_

Mid-November was nearly coming to pass. Idly, Hao noted that the winter had not been as cold as the previous years (stretching over a thousand, as far as he was concerned). No surprise there. What was the term that humans used to describe their very own destruction of the planet? Ah. Global warming.

The fire shaman leant back on the tiled roof, shutting his eyes. For a startling second to any other's eyes, weariness of an aged man filled his youthful countenance instead of the usual lazy cheer that he assumed in front of others. Most of the time, that appearance had been actually genuine, despite the chains of his chequered past that still clung to him – after all, he was Asakura Hao. A person as he had no time to waste on pity and self-indulgence.

Sounds of the humans' cars, buses and motorcycles that pierced the night became meaningless, insignificant volumes as his mind turned towards more…_pressing _matters, could he say?

_Fires…will consume you… _An image of a diminutive shape, faraway, darkened, but yet distinctly familiar in the way second-hand acquaintances were…

Without thinking (which really said something about his current mental state), Hao reached out one gloved hand towards the dark sky. He held it there for a few moments, before retracting it to rest his palm against his face.

What was this feeling? As if something was blurring his past convictions for his current horrific actions (as deemed by many) – after all, memories served as perhaps the one common factor behind every man's path.

He never mentioned this peculiar - albeit irritating – bother to his brother or any of the inhabitants of Funbari Inn, followers or not, all of whom were asleep. They wouldn't be of any use, and doing so would come dangerously close to expressing heartfelt troubles.

"Hmph…" The sound accompanied a tiny, humourless smile. Naturally, his thoughts soon turned to acknowledge the certain source of the problem.

Hao knew Oyamada Manta. The boy had already made an impression for simply his lack of spiritual strength, which had only been enough for him to gain the same sight as other true shamans. He always found it amusing that his own brother had a human for his best friend; Yoh would have soon discovered the pain of losing the boy once Hao earned the title of Shaman King.

But even Hao had to admit – Oyamada Manta was quite… interesting, in his own right. He doubted that any of them had viewed the boy such as he did – with the exception of maybe Anna – although perhaps she didn't find Manta actually amusing as Hao did (unless he was tripping over his own mopped floor).

Hao smiled sardonically to himself, as his mind centred itself on the small blonde. Personally, he didn't really have anything against the human boy. But the sad fact was that he was, in all brutal truthfulness, useless.

Even if the boy yearned desperately to change that fact, to _help _his friends, he had no power, no strength to speak of. It was a pity, really – it wasn't the lack of, amazingly enough, courage or resolve to aid his companions. No, Oyamada Manta would put himself in the line of fire if he thought there was the slightest chance of lending assistance to his shaman friends. But blind, unadulterated emotion simply wasn't enough. He'd been kind enough to tell Manta exactly that several times before.

And still, the boy continued to watch his friends, lending support in whatever small, immaterial way he could. It was pure idiocy that made Hao want to shake his head… and yet.

The boy wished to help. Regardless of the danger people like Faust had once put him through (yes, he had known that for a long time already). That alone, formed the highest regard he could ever hold for a human.

Hao lowered his hand, letting it rest behind his head. He didn't know for sure where the boy was, and what he was doing with the time line. The book had remained resolutely silent over the past two days, but if something were to happen to Oyamada Manta, surely, there would be a sign.

The boy was still alive. And once he straightened out whatever troubles he was having, once he returned – Hao was going to have to have a chat with him. And he _would _find out what, in the name of the Great Spirits, the human was doing with _his_ past.

* * *

**A****uthor's Note: Yep… New characters, folks. And still nothing significant happening. Perhaps that's just the way with all character introductions? **

**Anyways, gracias to the people who've reviewed the previous chapter! :) Leave one for this, won't you? **


	18. Chapter 18

**Through the Ages chpt 18**

Yesh, I'm way past my deadline. Still, this had been finally produced so enjoy~ xD

**Disclaimer: SK....not....mine.... -starts planting mushrooms in a corner-**

**

* * *

**_Pant pant…._

"I….can't…" _Gasp._

"Take…it…any…MORE!" Was the roar that ensued promptly before a bucketful of large salmon was thrown unceremoniously onto the ground.

There was a snort. "Just this and you're giving up? You're a pathetic brat, Oyamada!" the Giantess roared.

"I'm supposed to _train_, not become your rotten servant!" Manta shrieked through quick, painful gasps of chilly air. "Cook your own darn fish!"

As the massive woman clenched her fists threateningly, the rest of the group eyed the scene before them with great interest. "Did you ever lose your head so completely when you went through your own training?" Furin asked idly.

"There were some close calls," Hao answered, the right side of his face rested leisurely on a loosely-closed fist. The shadow of an amused smirk never quite left his face. "I wonder if all trainers take as much pleasure in tormenting their students?"

"As you do," Furin added for him in a dry voice. Beside her, Goro barked out a laugh.

Matamune resisted the urge to shake his head at the spectacle, ignoring the genderly-challenged spirit "Yuki-chan" beside him, who was weeping openly and expressing the deepest, heartfelt sympathies and woes for the "poor munchkins".

Instead, the feline creature recalled, vaguely, the events that had led up to the training (…torture) regime at present moments…

_**Earlier…. **_

_"...Huh?" was the blank response that came out of his mouth. _

_The Giantess locked her jaw, the outlining muscles giving her the appearance of a carnivore about to savage its meat. "You," she emphasized. "Are going to take part in my special training course, starting from this day onwards." _

_Manta swallowed. Earlier in the morning, he'd glimpsed Furin, her mother, and Hao gathered around the fire talking, upon which they had looked unusually intently at him when he was shuffling towards the latrine for his daily morning business. But the blonde had been too blurry-eyed and cold to pay attention to anything else other than climbing into his bed once more. _

_Now, travelling on the slippery banks of a frozen lake, the bombshell had dropped. Effectively rousing him from his still half-dreamy state ever since the group had left the hut. _

_"__Trai...training...course?" he rasped. His stomach churned, the echoed words giving him a horrible sense of familiarity. _

_"Of course," Furin remarked cheerfully. "We've been talking about it since last night, and we've decided it's really best for you, Manta. Your physical health is extremely important for this."_

_"This?" _

_"The journey. I told you about it already yesterday. You're going to have work on your fitness if you're going to keep up with us." A flicker passed through her orbs, rendering them lifeless for a brief moment, but it'd disappeared as quick as it came. _

_"But..." Manta tried to protest weakly. "I...don't think I'm really cut out for training exercises..." _

_"Not just normal drills," Hao intervened, smiling brightly. Too brightly. "You are going to learn some rather useful techniques as well." _

_"Techniques?" Manta repeated in disbelief. "You mean you want me to learn how to _fight_?" _

_"What is the problem?" Furin asked evenly. _

_Manta cleared his throat, the prospect of being put in Yoh's position not sitting well at him at all. "It's just...I've never learnt how to fight. I mean, I did take lessons before from my....well, from before, but I only stopped at a white belt in Taekwondo, since my dad didn't think it'd be necessary for me to learn how to fight when he could just pass his bodyguards to me..." _

_"Stop babbling," the Giantess cut in. "If you're not going to pluck up your courage, fine, but don't expect us to carry you when you keel over." She glowered at him, inducing fresh fear despite him beginning to get somewhat used to the Hulk woman. _

_Manta bit his lip. He couldn't help but feel rather put-out. After all, there had to be thousands of Heian Japanese who travelled constantly on foot without ever having to go through some training regime, and they'd gotten along all fine and dandy in their lives. Why him...? _

_But the silent, overwhelming pressure made him give in. As always. Damn it all. _

_"Okay..." he mumbled. _

_As cheers erupted from Furin's basket and Matamune's silent nod of approval, Manta soon found out the true meaning of hell...__._

* * *

_**Present moment...**_

It was unusual weather this day, with bright, strong sunlight coming in, making its heat felt even in the winter season and casting a glittery shine across the snowfields. But as far as Manta was concerned, the clear weather wasn't of any pleasure to him as he gritted his teeth, tiny palms on the ground as he did his 45th pump, the towering menace above him examining his every move.

Lounging lazily against a boulder, the rest of the group were tucking into the fish, ultimately cooked by Manta over a fire - which was made with several unsuccessful attempts to even start it from the wood _he _had gathered. (Something which made Manta all the more infuriated during the snippets where the group made their way into his peripheral vision).

The casual postures were in contrast to the quiet exchange between two individuals.

"...And that's that," Furin said at last.

"You sound certain."

"Obviously," Furin replied dryly. "Fortune-telling is one of my specialties."

Goro blinked. "Er," he said. "Yeah...? You didn't tell me you had a vision!"

"What did the vision show you?" Yuki-chan hovered curiously beside his father.

"Not much of a...vision, as you say," Furin admitted. Out of habit, her pale hand ran through her dark locks. "This journey won't be over in just four days."

There was a momentary pause, filled with a gnawing dreaded anticipation.

"What do you mean? Are you saying that this journey is going to take longer than just four days?" Yuki-chan asked.

"That's all to it there is," Furin responded. "The reason for it is unclear."

"Bet it's something dodgy," Goro muttered. He rubbed his long grey hair with a translucent hand.

"Most likely, it'll be something to do with Yorimichi and his sister," Furin agreed. Her cool gaze seemed to harden, her orbs growing even more glacial and somehow opaque. "I cannot imagine him not taking prompt action in face of your escape."

Hao nodded once in acquiescence. "How long has it been since you left that place, Furin?" he asked conversationally. It was a rhetorical question, one that did not beg an answer. "Three years? Four?"

Furin shrugged, unheeding of the movement's lack of grace. "Does it matter?"

"….I suppose not."

* * *

Straight after the most vigorous PE lesson in his life, the group had immediately commenced the journey soon after Manta chugged down what had to be four bags of water.

Finally, night had fallen, and they had arrived at a rest house of sorts for weary travelers. _They got that right in one, _Manta thought sourly.

He rubbed his legs, which were feeling somewhat shaky and unbalanced from the exercise and the long trek (which he had tripped over the slippery surface more than once). His limbs were going to hurt worse the next morning.

Manta looked up at his travelling companions, gathered around a small table. Goro and Yuki-chan, spirits incapable of being worn-out by fatigue, were chattering happily, to no one in particular.

"Um," he began.

He tried not to fidget under their stares. "Can I ask…why do I need to go through training when the journey is supposed to be over in only four days? There isn't really any point in me going through training now, is there?"

The blonde didn't miss the quick glance exchanges between the individuals. He waited.

"The journey won't be concluded in just four days," Furin finally broke the silence.

"It won't?" Manta echoed.

"I have had…a vision," Furin admitted, setting down her cup of hot green tea. "That this trip won't be over as soon as that. I don't know why, and I don't know how – but it will last longer than that."

"Last longer…" Manta mumbled. "Sounds spooky…" His head shot up, fixing his stare upon Hao.

"Does it have anything to do with Yorimichi?" he stated, more than asked, abruptly.

Hao only raised an eyebrow at the question. "Furin is the eye of the future, not I," he said.

Furin looked at the man beside her. "Are you pushing the responsibility to me?"

"Was I wrong?" Hao asked, playful smirk manifesting.

"Tell the truth," Furin answered. "You do not know."

"That's a poor excuse for forcing an innocent to shoulder the blame for the limit of your ability."

At this, Goro couldn't help but interrupt the banter with his dog-like laugh. "Copycat," he snorted. "You got that line from when I forced you to practice for five hours straight, summoning nature spirits."

Hao's lips quirked up at the corner as Manta blinked. "Prac…tice?" he said.

"Oh yeah, you don't know, do you?" Goro grinned, scratching his beard in a thoughtful gesture. "I used to be this brat's teacher when I found him as a kid."

Manta's eyes widened. "So the two of you...were master and student?" he blurted.

"Apparently," Hao affirmed. "I never had a more eccentric teacher."

"Hear hear!" Yuki-chan piped in gaily.

Goro snorted again. "Says you," he retorted. "I was your _only _teacher, idiot student."

He paused as bowls of hot, steamed Japanese rice, plates of boiled chicken, vegetables and some tuna for Matamune's feline pleasure arrived at their table, set by a servant girl (who scurried away upon catching the Giantess' eye). The smell was enough to make Manta's mouth water.

Hao stared at the dishes, but devoid of any expression of longing. "So you were," he murmured.

"Did you say something?" Manta asked. He stopped, going against his instincts in piling food on top of his rice in preparation of immediate devour.

The onmyoji shook his head, smiling almost wanly. "It is nothing."

As Hao joined the two other women in drawing food onto his own bowl (with Goro and Yuki-chan looking almost lustfully at the spread), Manta let his gaze linger on the older man before shaking his own head.

"How did you meet?" Manta questioned, already stuffing rice into his mouth.

"Us?" Goro gestured flamboyantly to Hao and himself. "Picked him up on the street."

"When I was a child," Hao supplied. "I was an orphan, and I wandered from place to place, going nowhere. Sensei here found me one day when he was on his rounds."

"Rounds?" Manta uttered, confused.

"I was alive at the time," Goro said. "I was a diviner, much the same as Hao here, when I saw this really roughed-up, ragged, dirty, blood-soaked kid – "

He fell silent when he caught the look on Hao's face. An awkward silence descended upon the group after.

Goro broke the silence with a show of a cough. "Anyway, I found him on the streets, and then I took him in."

"I…see…" Manta said slowly. He pushed a piece of chicken into his mouth.

What followed was a meal eaten with controlled gusto and in silence. The rest house was empty except for the group. The frail old boss and servants hadn't seemed too bothered about their guests, and the clinking of utensils were made all the louder in the stillness.

It was when the bowls were nearly wiped clean that Hao's hand shot to his temple, as he let out a strained gasp.

"What's wrong?" Several voices immediately piped in, panic jolting them in an instant.

Manta's worry only grew as he took note of Hao's wide-eyed stare, a chilling sort of blankness. Furin laid a hand on the onmyoji's sleeve, as Matamune placed a tentative paw on the other. The cat looked almost sweetly worried, as a cherished pet would for his master.

"Hao?" she asked.

His breathing steadied, and he seemed to force his eyes shut as he willed his self-control to return to him.

"You, er, you got a headache?" Manta asked, wincing at the lameness of the question the moment it left his mouth.

Hao opened his eyes, now thankfully devoid of that cold, sudden gleam. "I am fine."

"Like hell you are," the Giantess retorted, eyeing him beadily.

For a moment, the onmyoji seemed strangely immobile. Then almost abruptly, Hao rose from his seat. "Excuse me," he said as a parting shot before retreating upstairs to one of the rooms.

Yuki-chan uttered a soft, worried sound. "I wonder what's wrong with Hao-san?"

No one deemed it necessary to answer. The heaviness of the atmosphere had only intensified, leaving behind a curious loss of appetite from the disturbing scene.

Still staring at the stairs as though willing the onmyoji to come back down, Manta felt a tingling feeling of… unconscious realization, if he could dub it as that. He had by no means forgotten about the few incidents of Hao's displayed rage, and certainly not about him roasting five living, breathing bodies. Even if the men had been undoubtable traitors…

Manta still replayed the scene in mind during lulls, when his attention wandered a bit too far back.

But this sudden lapse seemed to have renewed the buried questions he'd had for quite some time. How had Hao found out about the conspiracy? Had he been in the know even before Manta arrived in this time? Why was he, for no plausible reason as far as Manta could see, prone to shocking bursts of anger and even despair from time to time? And the greater question: How much further would the gentle monk be pushed until he went on his quest for extermination of the human race?

That was something that was actually _going _to happen, Manta thought with a sinking feeling in his gut.

"Finish your food," a voice cut in through his troubled reverie. With a small jump, he tore his gaze away from the stairs to stare at Furin.

"You're not going to help him by just worrying," the miko said. Her cool orbs fixed upon his own, less tranquil ones.

"I – I know," Manta replied. "But…honestly, what's wrong with him? This isn't the first time that this – "

His voice trailed off as realized no one was going to respond. Matamune refused to meet his questioning gaze even as he watched the cat.

Anger passed like a haze through his mind. Didn't they say that there were going to be no more secrets? Why was he, Oyamada Manta, always, always on the outside of things, unknowing and clueless?

Somewhere, in some small, logical part of his brain knew he was being irrational, being unreasonable. Technically, Hao himself hadn't exactly promised not to hide away any more information, and only told him everything directly related to the blonde. This…thing…whatever it was, didn't seem to concern anyone but Hao alone.

Right now though, Manta just felt like taking that logical side and stuffing it in where the sun don't shine.

Throwing a last determined glance up at where Hao retreated, Manta knew there were still things – so many of them – that he didn't know about the man. And he _was_ going to find out.

With an almost vicious bite of his chicken, Manta made no real effort in concealing the indomitable glare he shot at everyone (including the Giantess) at the table.

* * *

Leaning with his back against the closed door, Hao breathed in deeply. With a dawning sense of fury, he realized that in that abrupt, unpleasant moment, _horror _had wormed its way to his heart. And an image of the smug faces Yorimichi and Murasaki wore had flashed before him.

The notion of him actually feeling such an emotion in regards to people no better than back-stabbing worms threatened to send bile up his throat, as he choked back on his own anger.

"Disgusting," he let the word escape his mouth in a hiss. Yet, he could feel it, the clarity of the situation startling even him.

It had begun.

* * *

The room was dark, save for the single candle that danced about as a chilly breeze swept in, causing the flame to flicker. The dancing shadows across the walls would have chilled Lady Akiko on any other night, from which she would seek out her future husband for comfort.

Tonight though, she didn't notice anything other than the letter in front of her.

She stared at the words without blinking, unconsciously gripping it until her slender knuckles turned white. The handwriting on the letter was still legible, if not with somewhat strange strokes upon some of the characters. Nevertheless, it was clumsy writing that could only come from someone who had picked up a writing brush for only the past month. Little details about the calligraphy couldn't escape her notice despite the gravity of the letter's accusations.

Akiko's mind took a turn back since the boy, Manta, had arrived. She had liked him. Probably, she still did, though she wasn't fool enough to tell it to anyone, including her Ichijo-sama. The Fujiwara princess hadn't received enough opportunity to really converse with the boy, but there had been something she'd liked about him. Something about his blatant curiosity of everything around him, the openness of his nervous expressions – cute. Childlike. Pure, even.

Until he was accused of being a demon's child.

Akiko never mentioned this to anyone, but she had always had doubt about the credibility of the boy's guilt. There was a feel of the entire matter that was too…crafted.

But the due-to-be-married daughter of the Fujiwaras had never been famed for her intellect. That honour went her sister Murasaki.

So the Fujiwara lady kept her mouth shut. In addition to not wanting to make a fool of herself by attempting to rationalize the situation, Akiko _was _also afraid of things like demons and magic. For that reason alone, she had always avoided the Asakuras.

And if the boy really was what everyone seemed to be convinced of… then she too, had no wish to get involved with him.

Or at least, that was what she had told herself until the night the boy and the onmyoji Asakura Hao made their quiet disappearance. The night she received the note.

Part of her rational mind screamed that the letter just had to be a lie. The things the boy had written named her brother and sister, Yorimichi and Murasaki, as the real villains in some conspiracy to… overthrow her father.

A sick feeling stirred in her belly as Akiko read that the deaths had been indeed, set up to let Manta take the fall. And that the bigger target was not only against her father, but her too. That the siblings were plotting her own death in the end. And that her sister wanted to marry _her _Ichijo-sama after she was out of the way.

The lady tried to scoff, tried to laugh. The big part of her knew she should just take the letter to show to her other sisters, laugh it off, then to just burn it. The atrocities mentioned were just too overwhelming to be true. It was nothing more than the desperate attempt of a devil's spawn to cause chaos within the family.

And yet…

Her brother had been unusually active within the past weeks, often going out at night and only returning in the wee hours of the morning with no open explanation. Akiko doubted he realized that she knew. Rumours of his indirect challenge against Hao in the philosophy session had reached her ears as well. And if it wasn't her imagination, Murasaki had been a little cold to her lately… not that she was ever friendly with her since they were teenagers, but…

Shaking her head, Akiko tried to clear her thoughts. It wasn't possible. Even though not particularly close, she ought to know enough that no sibling of hers was capable of carrying out such a cold-blooded approach for power. It was merely an act of sowing discord, nothing more.

So why was she taking out this stupid letter to read it every single night?

"I'm horrible," she whispered. She was doubting her own family. Heavens above.

Shaking her head one final time, Akiko stuffed the letter in an uncharacteristic display of aggression in her jewelry box, furious at herself for going against her better judgement to just tear it up. Heading towards her bed, she tucked herself under the blankets and tried to wave away an image of the crumpled piece of paper from her mind.

* * *

Tapping a finger idly against his desk, the Fujiwara son stared at a portrait of a winter landscape hung on the wall as he waited.

Footsteps outside signaled that his advisor had arrived. "Come in," Yorimichi called.

The door slid open. "My lord," his advisor, a stern, bearded man, bowed.

"Well?"

"The soldiers have been mobilized as you ordered, Yorimichi-sama," the man spoke in clipped, precise tones. "Together with back-up forces from the Taira clan. The troops will be ready to leave upon your command."

Yorimichi nodded once. "Good. Is the household still secure?"

"An adequate number of soldiers have remained behind to guard the Fujiwara palace, my lord."

"Then I trust you to bring me satisfactory results," Yorimichi said, the comfortable warning unmistakeably clear in his tone.

"Hai."

The advisor turned to leave until his lord spoke again. "On second thought," he said almost musingly. "We will leave in dawn."

His advisor hesitated for a moment. " 'We', my lord?" he asked.

"Yes. I will go with you and the men." Yorimichi stood up, looking straight at his subordinate. "Prepare all my travel belongings by morning, Seo. You should be familiar with this by now."

"That is not a problem, sir. But…forgive me…may I ask why you would bother yourself to personally seek these…criminals?"

His lord didn't reply, and for a moment, Seo thought he wasn't going to. But then the Fujiwara aristocrat spoke:

"This matter is too much of grave importance to leave it personally untended to. And besides – " Yorimichi let out a smile that sent shivers up the hardened advisor's spine. A shark's grin.

"There is only boredom that awaits me in this place."

_**END OF CHAPTER 18**_

_**

* * *

**_**Author's Note: So….what did you think? :D **

**School's started again, and tests are coming up. Gaaah. There's still so much to study, and yet the flesh is weak… **

**By the way, have you guys read the latest chapters of the SK kangzengbang manga? The latest release was particularly enjoyable...lots of Hao in it, and the rather...startling revelation of Yoh's own ideals. Still, I won't spoiler anyone just in case. -zips mouth-  
**

**Leave a review to encourage this poor college student, won't you? xD **


	19. Chapter 19

**Through the Ages chpt 19**

OK. My two A level subjects after my finals took up a lot more time than I thought. This chapter was hellish, and I fear this may be a boring ride....even if I tried to spice it up. Just a little.

Once again, apologies. Particularly to HoshisamaValmor. Even if you guys probably have had more than enough of that from me. And possibly every single ff author you've come across. D:

Let's get on then.

**Disclaimer:**

**Horrid stench of urine, faeces, blood, and vomit permeated the air of the toilet.**

**The once white-washed but now grey walls were papered with graffiti, obscene words, and phone numbers offering… services. It was silent, so silent that it seemed unnatural. If someone dropped a pin onto the ground, the sound would have been deafening.**

**But if you stood still, really still, you could almost hear something. There was silence, yes, but there were also faint sobbing and retching sounds drifting out from the last cubicle.**

**With her tear stained face, mascara running down her cheeks, Emily didn't look too well. Every retching motion brought a fresh wave of tears to her eyes. Every sob seemed more heart breaking than the previous, and somehow, the depressing looking toilet matched her mood to a tee.**

**Finally spent, she leaned against the wall and stared at the ceiling.**

**'Frostedheavens does not own Shaman King.'**

* * *

A quiet sigh of a breeze was the only sound that gave an indication of spirits at work. Not that many of the other human inhabitants below would have been actually willing to acknowledge that there were indeed ghosts creeping above their beds, but Goro nevertheless took the precaution of using the night as the only time for travelling this far out.

Just because you couldn't be seen didn't mean that humans were completely unreceptive to the spirits' presence. Even if they did a damn fine job of destroying anything that interfered in the "normalcy" of their world...

Goro shook his head, trying to erase the bitter thoughts.

"I smell something rather nasty, Father," the soft voice of Yuki-chan spoke from beside the elder man. Gone was the bubbly happiness in his voice during the day, replaced with an edge of steel.

"Over there, eh?" Goro's sharp eyes slid to the right, over a patch of forest. At once, both spirits flew down and gazed upon a trail of marching soldiers, who were armed with spears, horses and fire sticks. From this height, it reminded Goro unflatteringly of a line of working ants.

"Are they moving in our direction?" Yuki-chan asked.

"Well, they are the closest ones to current location, but it's hard to say... It's possible the Fujiwaras have sent out great numbers of soldiers in all directions from Heian-kyo to track down Hao and Manta." Goro folded his arms, both spirits keeping a sharp eye upon the trail. "Possibly deployed some from other noble families, from the nature of Yorimichi's cooperation with the Taira."

"Did Hao-sama tell you that?"

"Before he fell asleep. Poor boy, probably still shaken from that last reishi encounter." Goro shook his head. "In any case, Yorimichi would most likely choose the most probable direction he thinks we've moved in. Let's go closer. "

As they did, they soon found the noble carriage, protected from all directions by groups of soldiers. "As I thought," Goro muttered quietly.

"That's Yorimichi, eh?" Yuki-chan's feminine, almost beautiful face, twisted into something ugly.

"There's no mistaking this smell." Goro sniffed once. "Let's go."

"What?" Yuki-chan questioned abruptly, startlement registering itself upon his features. "So soon?"

"There's nothing more to accomplish. We've just found a strong sign indicating 'We've been tracked!' tonight," Goro said, doing a little mock triumphant dance to go with it.

"We could just have a little peep to see if that...man would say anything to his advisors..."

Goro snorted, already taking off in the opposite direction. "You stupid or something? Yorimichi isn't the kind of guy who'd actually share any deep aspects of his plans with anyone. Anyway, we already know everything Hao does from his reishi, so all we've got to do is to keep moving. Quickly."

Yuki-chan muttered something rather foul under his breath. "But how did Yorimichi manage to find our direction? If that trail was really moving towards us?"

"All I know is that he's a sly bastard. He might've picked up information from the people at the Fujiwaras, set an inconspicuous spy after them to guess at Hao's direction..."

"I dunno how that's actually quite possible, especially with someone like Hao-sama around..."

"I don't know, all right?" Goro growled, frustrated and dog-like. "All that we can guess is that he's somehow onto us."

"Poo," Yuki-chan said rudely. "Your guesses aren't holding a lot of water, dear Father. Your senses getting dull – OW!"

"Don't talk back to your father," Goro threatened with one hand right above the bulging bruise behind his son's head. "This old man's eaten more salt than you have."

"We've suffered the same...ordeal when we were alive, remember?" Yuki-chan retorted sullenly, one pale hand nursing the ache behind his head.

Goro didn't respond. He kept his eyes straight ahead as they soared back towards their companions, who were soundly asleep at the moment.

Yuki-chan spoke up after a minute of silence. "I...don't like dealing with them, Father," he said quietly. His previous over-energetic demeanour was at odds with his current cold mellowness.

"I don't like having to run away from them..even if we're not the ones truly at stake here," he continued when he received no reply. "They're..they're _only..._"

"Humans?" Goro smiled wanly. "Son, shamans are very much human themselves. Our emotions aren't really that different from those that they feel, even for someone with my 'condition', so to speak."

"But Father, you _are_..." Yuki-chan trailed off.

Goro smiled again. "Human? Is that what you were going to say?" His son's silence offered no agreement. "So you see, shamans are human beings at the end of the day – just armed with some superpowers, that's all." Both father and son snorted with laughter at the last few words.

"Though of course," Goro mused aloud. "That doesn't mean I have to like humans as a whole."

* * *

For the next two days, it was a routine for Manta – doing training drills, travelling, eating, drills, getting yelled at (three guesses by whom), travelling, drills, more drills, yelling back, getting smacked for it, travelling and so on.

In addition, Manta had become the group's official chef, food hunter, wood gatherer-cum-chopper, and cleaner all in one. His attempts at fishing in once-frozen lakes (mysteriously melted in their presence) often ended in him toppling headfirst into the icy water, by reeling in catches with perhaps more strength than suitable for his size. His hands were his only means of catching anything, without a fishing rod. The Giantess nearly shook him upside down after he made a wild plunge into the bitingly cold water and actually managing to grasp a slippery salmon – before sending it flying into the kimono cloth covering the Giantess' feminine assets above the stomach.

A minimum of two and half hours would pass before Manta finally hauled enough fish/food for everyone and lugged them back to their campsite. After he endured his companions' moans and groans about hunger and slowness and ineptitude, he would make some clumsy efforts to light fires, and the meal would be finished. After which the newfound servant would dispose of all bones and litter before the group continued on their way.

Just making multiple trips to gather enough wood for the group fire instilled in Manta the desire to lie down and do nothing for the next six hours or so. Having to chop them afterward made the blonde want to grab the Supremely Heavy axe and run in circles, hacking anything that breathed into bits and pieces. And more bits and pieces. Screaming bloody murder while he was at it.

...If only he had that kind of strength. So he decided to save the images as a good dream for bedtime.

_Dream sweet dreams tonight, _Goro had winked at Manta. _Oh I will, all right, _Manta had replied, baring his teeth at the elder ghost in a smile (snarl).

The blonde shivered, the cold pulling him out of his sullen reverie. His muscles ached. Hell, everywhere ached. Manta pulled the thick cover they had brought around him more tightly.

He stared up at the ceiling. The cavern Hao had brought them to was over 3000 years old, upon which much weathering over the years had joined the once-separate caves into a complicated maze of tunnels. Manta had shivered when he'd glimpsed the darkness that welcomed them if they had proceeded deeper into the cavern. It reminded him too much when Yoh had entered the Path of Hades.

"Manta?"

Manta jumped. "Matamune?"

He turned to see the cat staring at him. "I'm surprised you haven't fallen asleep," Matamune commented softly. "Given all the training you did today."

"Too cold," Manta muttered. He shivered again. "Want to have another night-time chat?"

Turning his head in the other direction, he let his gaze fall upon the sleeping man. Hao had propped himself up against the stone wall, his eyes closed, giving away the serenity that sleep brought. Near him, Furin and her mother laid on their sides. Manta was slightly astonished that the Giantess didn't snore at all.

The light from the crackling fire cast an opulent glow upon Hao's face, making him look younger than he actually was. But there were still traces of what Manta didn't think should have been there, of a man having seen far too much of life than preferred.

Funny. He had never noticed these things when seeing Hao in 1999. A thousand years had to have provided the onmyoji plenty of experience in disguising such weaknesses.

"Manta," Matamune's soft whisper pulled him out of his thoughts for the second time.

"You drifted off," the cat stated.

"Yeah...just thinking," the blonde breathed.

Matamune smiled slightly. "I find that always helps," he murmured. "Especially when one is troubled, in regards to the people important to us.

"But then again, immersing oneself in self-doubt and realization does not do much in rectifying the state of the tormented souls, does it not?" the cat continued, more to himself than the boy.

"Um," was Manta's reply.

Matamune snapped his attention on him. "Forgive me," he chuckled. "I'm letting my inspirations run away with me again."

"No problem," Manta replied. "Hao-sama's not rubbing off you, is he?"

"I often wish so," Matamune affirmed. "In so many more ways than one."

Manta eyed him warily. Matamune was in a bit of a funny mood this night. He said as much to the cat.

Matamune only shrugged. "It happens once in a while. A Goryoushin isn't immune to his master's pain."

The blonde stopped short. "Matamune..." he said carefully. "Could you...?" He licked his dry lips, and tried again. "Can you tell me...everything?"

The cat inclined his head, his gaze questioning. "I'm not sure I follow."

"About Hao-sama...no," Manta corrected himself. "I mean, about Hao."

It wasn't that he was being deliberately disrespectful. No, there was simply no longer any need to address him with the formality seemed so fitting within the Fujiwara grounds. And he was compelled to do _something_....that didn't make the onmyoji appear so far out of his league. Out of reach. Untouchable.

For a long time, he'd thought the same thing. Hao's second reincarnation had always faced him with a gentle smile. Never sadistic, never demonic, like how the legends made him out to be. The fire shaman's mystery had to stem from that seemingly never-ending light-heartedness.

But really, even Manta knew that for all its mildness, the smiles carefully hid the mockery Hao bestowed upon his own 'kind'. The patronizing way the future Hao had always spoken to him proved that beyond doubt, that he had regarded Manta so beneath his talents that he wasn't even worth holding any particularly strong feeling against him – like his masked hatred.

But _why_? He couldn't believe that Yorimichi's and Murasaki's intentions alone were enough to drive someone so over the edge.

Manta gritted his teeth. "What is going on with him?" he asked abruptly, but softly. "Why does he..act up the way he does? I...can't make him out sometimes." The admittance came out rather weak, as though he was ashamed of his own lack of understanding, which he was.

"And you wish to understand him?" Matamune asked.

Manta bit his lip. "I guess," he admitted reluctantly.

The cat cast a look at his sleeping master. He was still, for all appearances, fast asleep – but one never knew. "Come, we will go outside," Matamune said to Manta, standing up.

But just as Manta uncovered himself, a groan pierced through the air.

To his consternation, Hao had his mouth clenched and his expression wretched, as he struggled to fight off _something_.

"Again?" Matamune cursed as he bounded over to his master, trying in vain to shake him awake.

"Nightmare?" Manta guessed. There was never anything quite as disconcerting as watching someone's features twist with so much distortion even in their sleep. Like seeing a person as he was as death crawled closer by the second - completely stripped of his defences and reduced to nothing more than primal fear.

By now, Hao had gone completely white, sweating and shaking. Manta himself started to tremble, even as he reached out to touch his forehead.

He yelped and retracted his hand instantly. "He's burning up," he announced, his voice quavering. It wasn't _normal_...

"A fever?" Manta jumped, as he turned to see Furin and her formidable mother standing right behind him.

"No. No, not just that," he said, rather brokenly. "I don't know what it is but..."

His words were cut off when Hao struck.

Manta, somehow, had managed to avoid the blow, but Matamune received the full hit as Hao backhanded him. The cat slammed into the rock, cracks appearing behind his back from the sheer force of the blow.

"Matamune!" Manta cried out.

To add on to his growing fear, Manta watched, paralyzed, as the onmyoji's eyes snapped open. He stared blankly past them, as if an apparition of unimaginable horror was standing right at the cave's entrance, visible only to him.

Unaware of what he was doing, Manta made to grasp Hao's shoulder and was rewarded by a gasp from the man – as though the simple act of physical touch had been burned into his skin. The blonde's own heart took a leap as Hao jerked back, violently.

"Hao..." he croaked. Helplessness was something he wasn't foreign to, but _this_...

Quite suddenly, black whipped past Manta's side vision. It took him a second to realize that Furin was beside him.

"Shhhh," she whispered. All of them watched as the miko wrapped her arms around the onmyoji's neck, rubbing his head as if soothing a frightened child. Manta's heart leapt to his throat as Hao made to fling her back, but Furin held on.

"It's just us," she said softly. "There is nothing else here. You'll be fine. You'll be fine..." She repeated the three words in a tone one uses when singing a lullaby...distinctly reminding Manta of his own mother, who used to sing him to sleep as a child... used to.

Despite Furin, Hao continued to struggle. Only her unprecedented strength ensured her control over him. Minutes passed, and Hao's breathing became steadier. His violent shaking was reduced to mere quivers as he relaxed...only to settle back into peaceful slumber. Furin continued to hold on to him, mouthing words so soft that no one else could hear. She waited until she was certain that the man was truly asleep.

Manta let out a shaky sigh. "Will he...be ok?" he asked quietly.

"For the time being," Furin replied, gently letting Hao rest against the wall. His stricken features were spread out into his usual serenity once more, even if the sudden pallor of his skin before still remained. "For now...just let him rest."

"Same goes for this kitty," the sudden growl from the Giantess made Manta jump.

"Matamune!" Manta rushed over to examine the cat lying in the Giantess' hands. He appeared slipping in and out of consciousnesses.

The Giantess carried him near the fire, setting the cat down with astounding tenderness, as she began tending to his wounds with the medical kit they had brought along.

Neither of those awake slept that night, tending to the duo. Manta alternated between helping the Giantess look after Matamune's wounds, and Furin, who took care of Hao's still-feverish state. The blonde hadn't initially been sure of what he could do – only that he _had _to do something.

When Manta finished rinsing the towel on Hao's forehead for the fifth time, dawn had already arrived; and he had already learned the process of dressing wounds and applying medication. His eyelids were half-lowered, exhaustion plaguing him, but he never once considered sleeping.

"Heya," Goro greeted cheerfully, him and his son's spirits floating into the cave. "Already up – HOLY HELL!!" He burst out, eyes almost literally popping as he surveyed the situation – a wounded animal, a man appearing close to death, and three individuals looking as if they had just crossed the Sahara Desert for weeks.

"Don't be so loud," Furin snapped.

"Bit of an exaggerated reaction..." Manta mumbled.

"You'd think we were bleeding from the pores with our heads crushed..." the Giantess snorted.

"It's a _beautiful _morning, and THIS is what I have to come home to?!? What an ugly sight for _me_, the great Dog Em – " Thankfully, the combined glares shot his way effectively shut even the self-proclaimed Dog Emperor up.

"OH MY GOODNESS!" A piercing shriek followed soon after.

"For &^*((!%^*'s sake, what's wrong now?!" the Giantess roared, having reached the end of her very short tether.

"MANTA-CHAN!" Yuki-chan screeched and rushed towards the boy as though he had just escaped the clutches of a ravaging war. "YOU LOOK _EXHAUSTED!_"

The blonde was soon enveloped – again – in two pillow-sleeved arms as Yuki-chan tried to choke the air out of him. Unintentionally, of course.

* * *

The situation was soon explained to the two spirits, which Furin had taken it upon herself to do so, seeing that Manta had needed a full 10 minutes to regain his breath.

"I see..." Goro said. Father and son were now devoid of the earlier goofiness. "Bad dreams again?"

"Not just that," Manta interjected. He massaged his aching throat. "Even a nightmare shouldn't make a person react like that." He tried – and failed – to repress a shudder at the memory.

"It's probably night terrors instead," he continued.

"Night terrors?" everyone echoed.

"What's the difference?" Yuki-chan asked.

"I'm not too sure...but night terrors are worse than nightmares," Manta replied. "The dreams are a lot more vivid too, for adults anyway. I thought only kids were more prone to experiencing them. And night terrors are a lot less consolable."

"Well, it did take a fair amount of time for him to calm down," Furin remarked, glancing at the still-sleeping man.

"It usually disappears after a few minutes," Manta explained. "And...I've read about it..." He thought how to best simplify the terms. "Kids usually only suffer from it because of...body processes, but adults are often more prone when they suffer traumas."

Silence followed after this proclamation. Hardly anyone dared dispute the last part of the statement.

For what felt like the hundredth time, Manta tried again. "What's wrong with him?"

Another silence.

And Manta saw red.

"WILL EVERYONE STOP GIVING ME BLANK LOOKS AND ANSWER MY DAMN QUESTION??!" he roared.

Everyone else stared as another of their comrades suddenly went berserk. "Please!" Manta blurted.

"Screw it," Goro said suddenly. Manta turned to glower at him, until he realized that Goro wasn't addressing him. "Boy's got a right to know. He's one of us."

"I second that!" Yuki-chan insisted.

The Giantess cleared her throat, emitting a sound like small, faraway thunder. "I guess it'll shut the boy up, if anything else."

Manta's dark expression started to clear. "Tha – "

"No."

The blonde stopped short. "W-what?"

"We're not fit to make the decision," Furin said coolly, fixing her gaze onto Manta's. "Even if you were to hear the truth from our lips, it would not mean that Hao himself has chosen to tell you. Will you be satisfied with that?"

Manta bit his lip. Slowly, he started to shake his head.

"I thought not."

No one seemed to know what to say. They tried their best to hide their sympathetic stares to Manta, as he himself tried not to let his eyes wander to the sleeping man.

Goro cleared his throat then, and everyone turned instinctively in his direction. "You know, as much as I hate diverting our concern for him," Goro began. "I think we have an even more troublesome thing coming up."

With that, the ghost quickly filled in what he and his son had witnessed from the nightly excursion.

Manta fisted the folds of his pants, his knuckles turning white. "Yorimichi...is coming here?"

"We'll have to assume he is, boy," Goro said.

"But...how?" Manta racked his brains, trying to picture how Yorimichi would've managed to set a trail after them.

"Maybe he paid off someone to follow you?" Yuki-chan guessed.

_But...I can't imagine Hao not managing to notice any kind of trail set on us... _Maybe he'd been exhausted after that night's...events?

But before Manta could ponder further on it, screams broke through the silence.

All of their heads shot in the direction outside of the cave – where high-pitched screams were coming from.

"That's...that's coming from the nearby village, isn't it?" Without thinking, Manta dashed towards the entrance, as if trying to see something past the thicket of forest outside.

Soon, the stench of smoke reached his nostrils. To his increasing sense of foreboding, clouds of black smoke began to rise up past the trees, clearly visible to those standing at the cavern's entrance.

Yells and distant sounds of metal clashing against metal followed immediately after the first wave of screams. "What the heck's that – a battle?" the Giantess growled. "OI! WHERE'RE YOU GOING, BRAT?!"

Manta ignored the shouts of protests behind him as he hurtled forward, deaf to all except the clear chaos some distance away. He had a bad feeling, a _really _bad feeling, and it was pricking his consciousness with horrible familiarity somehow...

He stumbled, tripped, nearly fell into the small stream cutting through the forest, but he finally managed to find the exit from the mass of trees. Gasping for breath and aching all over from the trunks he'd run into, Manta saw the manifestation in front of him.

Dancing flames of yellow fire were spread all over the rows of wooden huts below the hill he was standing on. Villagers screaming, running away, desperate to escape from...

Foxes.

Or rather, foxes of clearly human sizes were ripping through anything that came within feet of their long, protracted claws, their teeth bared in ferocious snarls. Any unfortunate individual that came within their radius of attack...were ripped.

Even as his mind registered feelings of horror at the massacre, there was nevertheless a small inkling of confusion. Slaughter by _foxes_?

"Manta! Don't run off like – " Goro's gruff yell died away as the rest of his companions witnessed the sight before them.

By now, almost every hut had been demolished. Some villagers – mostly men – had taken up arms and attempted to fight off the demons. But they were at the losing end, killed after only minutes of engagement, especially against the only small handful of people who had decided to try defending themselves. Most had run away.

One man, bleeding from the head, still stood, panting from exertion and pain. "Get...get away, you monsters!" he cried out, positioning the pitch fork in front of him, trembling as he did so.

The three foxes, eyes cold and unstaring, only moved closer to him.

With a desperate shriek, the man raised the fork and swung it down with all his might – only to get caught in one creature's claws, leaving the rest of man open for attack.

Terrified, the man attempted to wrench his fork away, but the fox held it firmly in place while the other two advanced on him.

The man screamed as the creatures plunged downward. He shut his eyes, not wanting to witness the pain and death that awaited only a few seconds later. But the blows never came.

He opened his eyes gingerly – seeing a diminuitive boy clasping tightly, almost desperately, onto the arm of the attacking fox, one leg pressed into the fox's face.

Manta only stared into the fox's blank eyes, his form trembling. Reminded forcefully of the time with Hao, he could only feel relief that at the very least, this fox definitely wasn't as terrifying as the onmyoji.

_Small comfort though,_ he thought as the fox dropped its fork and grabbed him by the throat, dangling him in the air.

"Ughh--!"

There it was again. A mass of black tresses whipped past him, and Furin was holding a small, jagged dagger to the fox's throat.

"I suggest you release him," Furin said, her voice dropping into a calm, dark whisper that reminded Manta of gentle winds blowing during the night.

The other two made to attack the young woman, growls tearing from their throats, but sooner than anyone could blink, the Giantess blocked their path. Forming a rather terrifying shadow over the shorter foxes.

They stumbled back, glancing up at the woman with the same dead eyes – with their paws shaking at the same time.

The fox that held Manta in its grasp let go – reluctantly – of him, upon seeing the aftermath of its comrades after receiving a dose of the Giantess' special powers. Choking, gasping for the second time that morning, Manta massaged his throat. An ugly, palm-shaped bruise was forming around his neck.

"If you want to live, you'll tell us where your boss is – " The Giantess sneered, one hand pulling off one of the foxes' heads, making Manta squeak – only to reveal a very beaten-down man.

"Damn amateur clowns," she finished.

Manta gaped at the man, who was attempting to gather enough air to even groan. "Well?" the Giantess threatened. She gave the man a little shake, the "small" action making him emit even more pitiful moans.

"I – I...!" he wheezed, miraculously managing to shoot a glare that rivaled that of the monsteress in front of him. "I will not..."

The Giantess lifted the man up into the air at that. She paused for a tantalizing moment, before slamming him bodily into the ground.

The man yelled, his pitch almost bordering that of a shriek. His eyes seemed to gouge out as he coughed up blood and saliva, almost choking on it as bits dribbled down his chin.

"Try again," the Giantess threatened with a low growl. Her eyes were narrowed, sparked with fiery disdain.

"I...He...he is..." the man choked out. When the Giantess lifted him into the air yet again, he began whimper.

"_Stop it – !_" Manta began to shout. But was yet again, interrupted. By the arrow that had shot into the man's heart.

The man's eyes widened in a split mix of astonishment and terror, before the life faded from them. The sight of the man's fate triggered the same terror among his comrades, as the two other men staggered back, uttering despairing bleats before receiving two arrows in the chest.

Manta stood, frozen. He looked around, his eyes wild, and unable to speak.

As if her hands had gone limp like the men's bodies, Furin loosened her grip on her own captive, letting him fall to the ground with his eyes wide open in fear. Her dark bangs hid her eyes, covering them in shadow.

"Who...did that?" Manta finally found his voice, which had come out angrier and stronger than he would have thought possible. "Who the hell was it?!" He looked around again, this time fury settling upon his countenance.

"Yori...michi!" growled the miko, her voice deepening into a snarl highly resemblance of a female tigress that had seen something preying on her newborn cubs.

"Yori - ?"

A scream resounded through the air. The lone girl crouching behind a mass of wooden rubble clapped two hands to her mouth, as though terrified that she had given away her position. "You...you demons...." she whispered.

Manta shook his head from side to side. "You're mistaken," he tried to explain and reassure her at the same time. "We were trying to stop this from happening!"

"Finally," a cold, deep voice sounded from above.

All eyes swivelled to a man, dressed formal court official attire... with soon, numbers of soldiers appearing behind him, surrounding the three of them.

"Who are you?" the Giantess demanded, flexing her fingers.

"I will not waste my breath on you," the official said coldly. "Where is the onmyoji, Asakura Hao?"

A sick feeling was churning in his stomach, as Manta clenched his fists, trying to keep them from shaking and his breathing even. "Are you with Yorimichi?"

The official didn't answer. Instead, he turned his cold, stern eyes onto the diminutive boy and stared him down.

Manta gritted his teeth as the uncomfortable sensation of being X-rayed rankled him. "Answer me!" he shouted.

"You're that boy, aren't you?" the official stated, his tone not expecting an answer. "The one whom they name as the demon's child?"

"What about it?" Manta retorted.

"I see," the official said. "Things might work out better this way, after all. Capture them."

The soldiers started forward, weapons aloft in their hands. Manta drew back, his fists tense at his sides as he readied himself to....well. Punch and kick at anything that came his way. Simple.

"You don't honestly think that this trash is going to take us down, do you?" the Giantess sneered.

At that, the official raised his eyebrows. "Perhaps not." Then, whether or not it had been a cue phrase or the subtle hand gestures at his side, an arrow shot through the air and pierced through the Giantess' sturdy back.

Her eyes widened in both pain and surprise, as she fell with an almighty thud onto her front, sending huge bits of snow in all directions.

"Mother!" Furin cried, rushing to her side. The miko's face was distraught as the large woman struggled to pull herself to her feet, panting with pain and exertion. Manta's nausea grew stronger as he surveyed the wound in her back; the blood was oozing out of the place where the arrowhead was wenched firmly in.

"Scum," Furin snarled as she raised her eyes to the man, fiery ice burning behind them.

"Yorimichi-sama would have my head if I did not bring something back for him," the official continued, infuriatingly unconcerned. "So let's not draw this out. Will you surrender or not?"

"Foolishness doesn't quite beget answers , does it?" Furin replied coldly. She raised her hand.

"You're a miko, aren't you?" the official said coolly, bringing Furin to a halt. "Are you sure your powers are going to affect us humans?"

Furin locked her jaws, as the official raised his thin mouth in a whisper of a smirk. "That's what I thought.

"You don't have anywhere to run," the official continued baldly. "Give it up."

"I didn't realize Yorimichi employed someone so talkative to carry out his precious plans," Furin said.

"Well, it would come in useful now," the official said cryptically. He raised his voice before anyone could demand what he meant:

"Villagers! Please, come and take a look at the wreckage done to your homes and your families – by these demons here!"

There was the sound of numerous shuffling feet through the snow, as the group witnessed several soldiers escort the remaining survivors of the village to the front. Men, women and children gathered together with horrified faces etched on by hatred, as they viewed their destroyed livelihoods.

"Mur..murderers!" a woman shouted, her eyes wild as she saw three people with three corpses lying at their feet, some of the dead men's blood stained on their persons.

"Foxes who can change into humans," a man spat. The rest of his brethren shouted and muttered in similar hatred. "_Demons_!"

"That's not it..." Manta said. But his voice was hardly above a whisper, as he _knew_, with damning certainty, that the survivors would not listen to reason. It was almost understandable, given their losses, that they would jump at the chance to unite against a common enemy.

"These are some of the creatures responsible for the tragedies at the noble Fujiwara House," the official continued mercilessly. "There are still some who are at large, threatening this peace of the era! People – " He turned to address the villagers directly. "Will you not help spread the word around to protect this country?"

"Of course...to prevent this disaster from happening to the other people of Japan!" a man, who seemed to be the leader, shouted. He was answered by similar echoes of anger and vindictive satisfaction.

Manta glared, his teeth almost chattering with the injustice of it all. "You bastard," he said, not even muffling the vulgarity. "You...no...Yorimichi...wrecked an entire village just to get at _us_?"

"Do not listen to them," the official said. "They are wily creatures, these fox demons. Now, capture them."

But as the soldiers moved forward, heat penetrated the area, its suddenness making them draw back...melting the snow around them instantly.

Blankly, Manta turned to stare at the person who had incinerated all the men standing around them to ashes... unheeding of their screams as their bodies vanished within a second.

"Hao...?"

_**END OF CHAPTER 19**_

_**

* * *

**_**Author's Note: So...how was it?**

**Just a little note... this time, it won't be exams that will be plaguing the next update, but holiday assignments and a new writing project of NaNoWriMo lasting till 30****th**** Nov. For those who have no idea what the heck that is, just google it. Who knows? Get interested and join in next November. Or now even. xD **

**Thanks to everyone's support! Any reviews out there for this poor author? **


	20. Chapter 20

**Through the Ages chpt 20**

Before I forget... Happy New Year and a rather belated Merry Christmas to everyone. :D Didn't manage to finish this in time for Christmas or the New Year's, but anyway... I'm back with a new chapter... which seems to be shorter than usual. I'm not entirely happy with it (am I ever?), but it's all the inspiration I've got. Enjoy?

**Disclaimer: A five-year-old Furin giggled.**

**The nice pink piece of paper with the words 'Destroy the Universe?' was pasted over every traffic light. She hid behind her mother as every pedestrian had to pause a moment before hesitantly pressing the button. She thought about her aunt frostedheavens, and it seemed as if a light-bulb came to life over her head. She grinned.**

**'Frostedheavens does not own Shaman King'.**

* * *

_**November 1999, Funbari Hill**_

Hao's eyes snapped open.

He woke to find himself staring at a black, endless ceiling that was mostly obscured by thin, wispy clouds that would otherwise have revealed a starry night. The fire shaman, uncharacteristically, blinked once or twice in confusion as he felt loose tiles shift beneath him when he moved. He felt a strange sensation settle at the bottom of his stomach after he realized that he had unknowingly drifted off on the roof of his brother's living quarters – which had become his favourite haunt in the short time he'd been here.

Hao's gaze shifted left as he noted the great fire spirit hovering almost eerily beside him. For some reason, the unfathomable green gaze of his Guardian Spirit focused unblinkingly on his master quirked a strange amusement in the fire shaman, and he smiled humourlessly at the Spirit of Fire.

_Voices, voices, voices hollering crazed yells of demons and devil's children, flames burning, so bright in their marvellous passion, destroying the trash and pile of ugly corpses at his feet – _

"Another one of those dreams?" he couldn't help muttering. He wasn't quite sure if he was saying it to himself or the manifestation from the Great Spirits, but then again, Spirit of Fire had never demonstrated any capabilities of speech. Nevertheless, Hao couldn't quite shake the lingering suspicion that his Guardian Spirit understood a lot more other than orders or granted permissions to feast.

By and large, Hao didn't reminisce often about the past. The dreams, which were an indicator of his memories that still remained buried underneath the layers of his mind, served no higher purpose than keeping him strictly on his path forward, as if determined not to release him from his torment. That was perfectly all right though – some part of him was even glad for the dreams, bad as they were. They only renewed his resolve and reminded him of the goal he had yet to accomplish, which he would willingly spend another 500 years in hell waiting to fulfil this aim.

...Not that he actually _wanted_ to take another trip into the underworld for another half a millennia. Hopefully, 'third time's a charm' would actually apply to his situation.

No, what irked him now was the ever-present face in his dreams nowadays. At times, the illusions were faded and inconsequential – but whether it was his imagination or not, the mirages only seemed to grow clearer and more frequent lately, sometimes even appearing before him when he was fully awake.

"Some people really are too meddlesome for their own good, don't you think?" he posed in a casual sort of way to the Spirit of Fire, looking up at it from its great height.

The only response he received from the pink giant was silence, and just maybe – a slight cocking of its hilted head.

Hao only smiled as he continued. "Don't you agree…Yoh." It wasn't a question.

Almost sheepishly, a brown-haired head – hair cut much shorter than Hao's long tresses – poked out of the small square opening leading to the rooftop. "What prompted you to say that?" Yoh couldn't help asking, even as he clamoured up fully on the roof.

"Perhaps a person who apparently has been spying on another every night," Hao said dryly, sliding his gaze sideways, a twisted mix of amusement and a smidgen of annoyance dancing in it. "There're names for this kind of behaviour on your part, Yoh – unflattering ones, though perhaps not without a dose of suggestion."

Despite the animosity that lay between the brothers by day, Yoh was unable to stop himself from shuffling his feet in embarrassment as he didn't deny his aniki's non-too-subtle accusation and mocking meshed together. "Well, we're hardly ever alone during the day," Yoh replied, as he settled beside his elder twin. "And at night, well…"

"Too embarrassed to make a move on your own brother?" Hao said, crossing his arms indulgently behind the back of his head, his smile almost giving off the appearance of a kindly sibling who had just found his younger brother with his hand in the cookie jar. "Still, I won't tell anyone of your true feelings for me, forbidden as they are."

Yoh laughed. Notably, there was a definite difference between the dry, almost insincere sounds that escaped his lips and his usual carefree – if not sheepish, at times – laughter. "Don't joke around like that," he mumbled. "Anna would have my head." _Or worse. _

"She would, wouldn't she?" Hao remarked rhetorically. "It'd be a twist of fate though, seeing the bizarre results that come out of this most complex love triangle that engulfs us."

Yoh shot him an unfathomable, blank sort of look at his brother, and Hao realized that his twin truly didn't _quite _comprehend the meaning of his statement – as typical of a person who somehow manages to fix certain parts of a jigsaw puzzle together, but still unsure of what the entire picture really was.

Hao didn't think he had been quite as…un-precocious at his age. A millennia's worth of existence did put a dampener on certain parts of his memories regarding his true teenage years.

"What's bothering you?" Yoh asked, cutting straight to the point as always.

He almost – _almost _– cringed when Hao shot him a look that held a brief yet quite alarming spike of displeasure. To his credit, Yoh didn't flinch, nor did he back down.

"Bothering me?" Hao echoed the words as if strangely alien to him.

"Yeah, something is," Yoh pressed on despite himself. "I don't think many others have noticed it – well, maybe Anna, I dunno – but there's something irritating you ever since…since…" He swallowed, half-hoping his elder twin would fill in the blanks for him. He didn't.

"Since you failed to locate Manta," he finished.

The silence that hung between them was one of the most uncomfortable experiences Yoh had gone through, which was saying something with a fiancée/trainer like Anna. Quite suddenly, a picture of a silent, watchful viper that may or may not strike even if you didn't move an inch entered his mind.

A strange sound emitted from Hao's lips, and it took Yoh about five seconds to realize he was laughing.

Yoh eyed him, trying in vain to suppress the shiver that travelled up his spine. "Ummm… Hao?" he tried warily.

Hao stopped abruptly. "I suppose it is quite pointless to hide anything," he said in mock forlornness. "We are connected by blood and soul, after all."

"So that means…"

"Yes, there is something quite bothersome drifting further into my mind," the fire shaman confirmed, a little too serenely for comfort.

"Does it have something to do with Manta?" Yoh asked immediately.

His only answer was a rather eerie smile, coupled with darkening orbs that somehow managed to burn with a different sort of flame all on its own. Yoh resisted the urge to draw away as his brother leant in with one hand pressed flat against the roof tiles to support him – giving a full close-up of his smiling features.

"Oh, why don't you wait and see if you can find out for yourself, otouto?" Hao said in a lowered tone. "After all, we're twins."

* * *

_**Heian Period**_, **_Japan_**

A blazing inferno. Even at this juncture, useless poetic phrases entered Manta's dazed mind, his blank eyes gazing upon the crackling flames that surrounded them faster than if a lit match had fallen into a river of gasoline.

The screams which had resounded upon the fire's contact with flesh tapered off into silence faster than anyone would have expected. Manta didn't know whether to feel relieved for the men's quick deaths, or just that much frightened for Hao's ruthlessness, which had seemed to have boiled over to the brink of nearly mindless slaughter.

"Asakura…" Even through the heat and muffled screams emitting from the crowd above them, the official's voice reached their ears.

The official didn't manage to keep his vocal cords working after Hao shifted his gaze towards him. Manta couldn't see his face, but the official's own countenance had gone a pasty, unattractive white, and it was enough to clue anyone in onto Hao's expression.

"I don't think I've seen you before," Hao's clear, eerily neutral voice brought Manta out of his daze for a moment. "What's your name?"

There was a collective silence from even the crowd, as the official widened his eyes at the question. "Seo," he announced, after a moment.

"Seo, is it?" Hao said. For a moment, it seemed like the onmyoji was pondering upon something.

Faster than anyone could blink, what appeared to be a rope materialized around Seo's neck – his momentary scream didn't last long though, as the line of fire came into contact with his bare skin. A sudden flash of flame ignited, engulfing his entire neckline – before the rope of fire released him, revealing flesh so charred that Manta was certain his vocal cords had just been destroyed forever.

"Tell your master," Hao said coolly, as the man keeled over, hands over his now useless throat with his mouth gaping in a silent scream of horror. "To use this as a warning if he still wishes to pursue us. Oh yes – " Hao's tranquil features split into a serene smile. "You don't speak anymore, do you?"

"S-s-seo-sama!" one soldier behind him finally screeched, having been unable to say a word up till now. Terrified gasps were beginning to ripple through the crowd once more, almost bordering upon screams.

Hao ignored them. "Not to worry, I'm sure he'll understand after just seeing you."

"You monster," one woman had the nerve to spit out, despite her trembling tone. It had probably come from a villager. "A complete demon, you are - !"

The next second, she was silenced as well. The other people backed away, almost tripping over each other as they cowered away from the burning heat. No one uttered a sound this time, as if fearing that even moaning would warrant instant death – or worse.

In spite of everything, Hao retracted his hand without even looking at the fresh pile of smouldering ashes, smoking just moments at which the woman had been standing.

No one was foolish enough to make another yet another insult or even a protest. But handfuls of them were too terrified to linger any longer, and they were soon followed by practically every other villager – along with some of the troops, whimpering and sputtering along the way.

An almost audible hiss escaped from the onmyoji's lips as he raised his hand, the heat around them turning up ominously in accordance to his movements. But his hand froze in mid-air as he felt heated metal press firmly against his neck, though not yet deep enough to draw blood.

"That's enough for today, Hao," Furin's cool, nearly dulcet-like tones spoke behind him, having returned from their previous intonations of anger.

Hazedly, Manta wondered why the young shrine maiden was still able to hold her ground without even a flinch. If Hao had been looking at _him_ like that, he'd be scrambling as fast as he could in the opposite direction, much like the escapees; who currently, were apparently being joined by more and more soldiers.

"Furin...was that meant to be an order?" His voice, chillingly calm and in contrast with his enraged one during the last night at the Fujiwaras, seemed to imply meaning and mockery twisted together – a combination that Manta couldn't quite comprehend.

Unfortunately or otherwise, Furin did appear to, and she certainly didn't like it. One of the blades from her twin-bladed weapon dug in deeper into flesh, this time a thin rivulet of red oozing from the dent in Hao's neck. Like possessing a second heartbeat, Manta could sense the pulsing spiritual energies of Goro and Yuki-chan, resonating hard enough to give their entire abode an aura of almost blinding yellow light.

"Shouldn't we get the Gi – Furin's mother looked at first?" the words tumbled out of his mouth, louder and more desperate than he intended for it to.

Hao and Furin blinked, and the spiritual pressure from the double-bladed sword subsided significantly in humming anticipation.

"I mean, she's bleeding," Manta uttered, pointing out the obvious. "She's hurt real bad. We better go back."

Time seemed to tick by in warning slowness. But the weapon in Furin's hand soon disappeared, though Goro and Yuki-chan's spirits didn't appear. She bent down near her mother, and with a few strange, whispered words, the Giantess seemed to....lighten. Nothing about her physical appearance changed – she was still as enormous as ever, but there was a definite lightness, almost airy, feel to her as Manta observed. Furin then lifted one arm around her shoulder and heaved her up, still unconscious, as if she weighed no more than a pillow.

Manta's last glimpse of the place was the dying flames and the stunned, fearful faces of what remaining soldiers there were. Whether or not they stayed out of some sense of duty as fighters or were simply paralysed with terror, Manta didn't know. He felt his feet leave the ground as a smoky whiteness filled his vision.

* * *

Outside, the deep, coarse baritones of hardened soldiers shouted incomprehensible orders that every person within the large tent experienced no trouble in tuning out. Only one man sat, behind a low yet important-looking table, his finger tapping absently against the wood as he coolly regarded the silent men standing stiffly before him.

"They were annihilated?" Yorimichi spoke, a slight frown lacing his tone as well as his facial features.

"Yes, sir." This came from a stern-faced, middle-aged man – the general now leading whatever troops that remained in his unit. "The onmyoji had to be stopped by one of his own before he acquiesced to retreat."

"By the boy?" their lord questioned.

"No sir, by a woman we have not seen before. She appears to be a shrine maiden," the general reported, passively neutral.

A flicker of some unknown expression crossed Yorimichi's impassive face. "Shrine maiden? Give me the descriptions of everyone who happened to be with Asakura and the boy."

"We shot down someone – a woman, no doubt, despite her rather massive gait," the general started. His words rolled smoothly and mechanically into each other, sounding far too ingrained in the habit of accounting for lists and administrative matters. "The other person was the miko I mentioned sir, who appears to be the daughter of the casualty. That's all."

"No one else?"

"None that I have seen, sir."

Yorimichi fell silent, and the soldiers remained alert and focused in the stillness that contrasted widely with the common ruckus outside of roughened soldiers gathered in one place. Their lord's eyes were narrowed in a familiar dark glimmer... something they never hoped to be the reason for.

"And I was wondering where she had gotten to all these years," Yorimichi murmured, dark amusement curling his features. He looked up at his men.

"That miko's name is Furin," he told them. "Do your best to bring her in alive, but if she proves too much of a hassle, kill her." Yorimichi said this as if sending his men out to buy flour from the marketplace. "You can do what you like for her mother, but my orders stand the same for Asakura Hao and the boy. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir!" the habitual salutation came naturally for all men as they further stiffened their postures.

"Then I'll leave it to you again, General Toga," he addressed, even as he closed his eyes in clear dismissal.

One soldier then spoke up, albeit rather warily. "But sir," he started, trying to ignore the sharp stares of those around him. "How exactly do we handle Asakura Hao?"

"Don't concern yourself," Yorimichi replied. "By the time those people arrive, the news of the onmyoji's latest show will have spread around like the fire he loves so much. That should get them going."

_So we were no more than tools to die for strengthening your plans and reputation, _the young new recruit thought bitterly. But he was still a soldier, and that meant his orders were absolute – even if it meant getting tossed away like garbage during his death.

_If you truly want to bring any kind of honour you lost us in your wilful days, _his father had told him. _Serve your masters well and fulfil your duties. Just because we live in peaceful times doesn't mean we should forget the loyalty and duty that plays in during a war. _

"Yes sir," the soldier said.

* * *

Treatment was carried out on the unconscious form of the large woman immediately after their return. The worst part had to be the wrenching out of the arrow – Manta cringed terribly as the almighty Giantess cried out in agony the moment Furin finished the deed – but he forced himself to focus. All of them boiled the remaining herbs leftover from treating Hao earlier and rubbed strange-smelling substance derived on her wound. The Giantess groaned in obvious pain even in her delirium, but after final bandaging there was no risk of further blood loss. The only thing Manta could think of to make it better would be having some modern disinfectant or even antiseptic with him – which possibly, was already taken care of by Furin's – and Hao's – carefully released Furyoku to soothe the Giantess.

Up till now though, the confrontation that bubbled to the surface after the conclusion of treatment pushed any other worries Manta had temporarily out of his priority list.

"What were you doing?" Furin said, her voice quavering with restrained calm.

Hao narrowed his eyes, a blank, animal glare fixed like steel in them, as he regarded her with only one visible eye while his long, untied tresses hung freely in front of him. "You are hardly blind."

Furin locked her jaw, concentrated anger and despair filling every line in her face. A small comfort for Manta, as she mirrored the exact same emotions conflicting in him. "Why did you kill them?"

Hao upturned his face, the all-too familiar look of disdain crossing his features that caused Manta's stomach to plummet. "I'm disappointed – I would've thought you above pointless questioning," he replied coldly. "You know perfectly well why I eliminated those..." He stopped, apparently unable to think of a word bad enough to describe his victims.

"And you know perfectly well that their deaths were unwarranted," Furin replied, equally frosty. "Now your hands will never be clean – is that what you wanted? Or what your mother - ?"

Something in Hao seemed to completely snap at her words. "Don't get so ahead of yourself, Furin!" he snarled. All vestiges of calm and kindness had disappeared from him, replaced with untameable rage that made even Furin halt. "Just who the hell do you think you are, lecturing me like that? It's thanks to me you lot managed to get back safely, and this is how you thank me? Siding with those insects?!"

Involuntarily, Manta's hand clutched at Matamune's fur, whom he had lifted onto his lap. The injured cat they had left in the cavern was now fully awake, viewing the scene in silence.

"Insects or not," Furin said, her voice having now lost its forced steadiness. "It is quite clear you completely lost all reasoning, downgraded to nothing more than a beast! Or is your reishi the one power that you are unable to overcome?"

Hao froze, as did everyone else in the confined space, as though an unspoken taboo had just been broken.

"Reishi?" Manta mouthed to Matamune timidly. There was no answer.

A few seconds passed by in silence so tense that Manta thought he was going to faint from the suffocation. He could practically hear the muffled sound of Hao's teeth grinding into each other as he regarded Furin with calculated fury, which she returned with interest.

Abruptly, Hao stalked out of the cavern. A sudden void of emptiness replaced the tension upon his exit, as if something had just been pulled out of the heart, leaving behind only hollow, bare space.

Furin seemed to collect herself, taking a deep breath as she turned back to her mother. Goro and Yuki-chan were hovering near her, looking on without a word as Manta felt her increase her spiritual power over the unconscious woman. Hao's abrupt departure had deprived the Giantess of additional healing Furyoku.

The sombre mood didn't prevent Manta from mulling over what he had just heard, though. _Reishi... what is that? _ Knowing full well he wouldn't be getting any answers out of anyone in this cave, he lifted the cat gently off him as he half-crawled to his sack of what few belongings he had with him.

Resisting the urge to caress the thick volume had pulled out, Manta flipped the pages of his dictionary, oblivious to some of his companions' curious stares. Expecting no findings, it was with some disbelief and great anticipation that he managed to thumb the entry he was looking for:

'_Reishi – a type of Chinese mushroom used commonly as a heart tonic, and is widely regarded by the Chinese as the number one herb for giving eternal youth and longevity." _

_Mushroom? _

Manta cocked his head, a mental image of a giant pink mushroom flitting across his mind. There didn't seem to be any sort connection, for some reason...

Blowing out his breath in frustration, Manta did the only thing that made sense to him at the time, and dashed out of the cave.

* * *

Daylight streaked in as Murasaki penned her letter to the one Taira minister – one she nearly ordered assassinated for daring think of her as his 'payment' in supporting her brother's mission. The promises and negotiations were growing tiresome, but her efforts hadn't gone completely to waste.

"Lady Murasaki?"

The aristocratic woman lifted her head to stare at the young maid kneeling outside the thin shoji screen. She wasn't entirely in a good mood, due to days of inactivity and the gabbling noise around her as her female companions – sisters and other noble relatives chattered non-stop about the most mundane news; Akiko's marriage to Prince Ichijo, for one. They hadn't gotten tired of that one yet. All this thanks to her father's orders, who adamantly refused to let his precious daughters out unnecessarily in light of all the fuss over Asakura Hao's and the boy's disappearance.

It was a true pain, as her confinement only hindered her movements.

"What is it?" she said, experiencing difficulty in regulating her tone. The maid flinched, swallowed, and ploughed on.

"Yorimichi-sama has delivered a message," the words stumbled clumsily out of her mouth as she slipped parchment, carefully sealed with the Fujiwara stamp, underneath the shoji screen.

Murasaki stopped for a moment, and then nodded to her maid in dismissal. She wasted no time in excusing herself.

With delicate, pale fingers, she slipped the letter open, unfolded and scanned the message with clinical precision. She raised her eyebrows in surprise, before sighing and glancing down the recently-written letter she intended to send to the minister.

Now she would have to alter her message. Ensuring that none of her sisters were taking too much notice of her activity, she laid her brother's letter down on the table and dipped her brush in fresh ink to copy his message in several separate sheets. All she had to do was figure out how to discreetly notify her recipients.

_**END OF CHAPTER 20**_

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**_**Author's Note: I wonder why it's taking so long to get to any action.  
**

**School's starting next week...not good. And it's the start of brand new year for my A levels - equivalent to possible even lesser-than-regular updates while the teachers hold our noses to the grindstone. D: But I'll manage somehow...! **

**Remember to leave a review~  
**


	21. Chapter 21

**Through the Ages chpt 21**

**Nothing and nothing but the truth – I haven't been able to even think about writing this chapter ever since school reopened, for reasons better left unsaid. But it's here. At last. **

**You guys are still out there, aren't you? Enjoy~ **

**

* * *

**"Hao? Are you there?"

Trudging through a section of forest that didn't seem as thick, the small figure yelled until he didn't think he could take much more. Both his vocal cords and his capacity for bearable frustration were growing dangerously thin. He was cold, tired, and hungry, but he plundered on anyway because if he wasn't capable of withstanding a few hours of fatigue, then he wasn't worthy of…of everyone else.

"Hao? Are you there?" Manta repeated for what felt like the hundredth time.

He finally came to a halt when he nicked his hakama against a sharp branch – and then somehow managed to slip and land on his rear with a yelp. That did it.

"GAAAH! HAO, KILL ME OR KISS ME, I DON'T CARE WHICH, JUST GET THE HELL OUT HERE!!" the diminutive boy shrieked to the heavens – scaring away a few birds in the process - and not even bothering to heave himself upright.

"The latter fails to suit my preferences," a soft voice spoke up from behind.

Manta felt a shiver run down his spine as he spun around, so fast that he cricked his neck. "O-oh," he faltered. "You're there…when did you get there? And what do you mean by…" he babbled nonsensically.

The onmyoji barely lifted his head to look up at the boy – not that he needed to, given Manta's height deficiencies. He raised an eyebrow, and Manta blushed as he recalled his earlier words, only causing him stutter even more as he tried hard to rattle away the disturbing images jumping teasingly to his mind.

He blathered on an unfathomable string of words for about a minute or two before he finally ceased. Hao clearly wasn't in the mood for jokes.

Swallowing, Manta crept cautiously towards the sitting Hao with his back against a large tree trunk.

"Are you…?" Manta let the question trail off; the words somehow becoming lost somewhere up his voice box.

A few suffocating minutes passed before Manta resigned himself to the fact that Hao wasn't going to do more than offer silent company. Well, he could give it as well. Whether the older man liked it or not.

* * *

Fujiwara no Yorimichi was indeed a very still man; unlike other ministers he'd worked with in the past, or even his own brothers, who seemed to feel the constant need to appear busy scribbling away on some document or another whenever even a lowly servant came knocking, he wasn't afraid to be caught merely sitting in contemplative silence. No matter how many times his father and some of the elders reprimanded him for 'daydreaming' and attributed his inability to climb higher on the political ladder to this disapproving habit, Yorimichi persisted in his preference to simply…think. To sort out his thoughts. To relax, even.

Not that he was letting stress get to him – the audacity of such a suggestion - but the fact still remained he was a man with a very human disposition, and there weren't any fancy tricks he could employ to keep himself constantly energized and driven.

Then again, those shamans weren't much better, no matter how much they actually believed themselves to be.

For all that, Yorimichi didn't open his eyes even when he heard the audible sound of the tent shuffling as someone stepped in.

He waited, but instead, he imagined the person eyeing him indecisively, considering the wisdom of waking his 'sleeping' lord. "What is it?" Yorimichi said at last, his eyes still firmly shut.

There was an indistinct sound of surprise, made all the more audible by the relative silence that the night brought to the camp, before the man recovered. "Yorimichi-sama," the soldier said. "They've arrived."

Yorimichi opened his eyes, unfolding his crossed limbs as he did so. Without a word, he followed the soldier out of his tent and trudged on until he came face-to-face with the people.

"Good evening," he greeted the stone-faced lot pleasantly. "I assume you know what to do?"

"Of course," an elderly man, who appeared to be the leader, said in a gravelly voice. "We have to do all that it takes to protect the peace."

Yorimichi couldn't help but smile at that – a small, lifeless thing – as he considered the man's words. Again, this was another sign of his convictions. Peace was always the goal that justified just about any man's actions.

Shamans, really, weren't entirely abstaining from the basest of human greed.

"The Fujiwaras are counting on you then, the Asakura family," he said.

* * *

Relaxing, Furin felt her spiritual pressure slowly recede out of her mother back into her soul, like a gentle wave. The treatment was more or less completed – all that was left was to wait for her mother to awaken.

And for the two protagonists to return, Furin thought dryly, as she noted the passing of three hours with no sign of their arrival.

"Perhaps Manta has yet to talk sense into Hao-sama," a soft voice, almost forgotten, made her start slightly.

She let out a strange sound – was it a chuckle? "Probably," she said. Her weary countenance – not unlike his master's at times, Matamune noted – belied her youthful age, especially through the glassiness of her eyes that was now reflected by the firelight.

Furin narrowed her eyes, as if trying to prevent something from leaking out of them. Everyone recognized it as a gesture whenever she was faced with this. Helpless.

"I'm just…" she started, and then stopped to take heavily even breaths. Goro, Yuki-chan and Matamune watched silently, recognizing her attempt to recollect her composure. "I'm just…god forbid…I'm just tired. Every time I see him like that – no, it's worse now, he's – he's _killed_ – in that state, I honestly am at a loss. The darkness of the human heart…it has never receded, and never will. He's losing_ him_, and there is nothing, nothing I can do to make it better…make it stop…"

Matamune's heart sank further as he heard, for the first time ever, the break in strong, calm miko's voice. Her need for release was evident, but selfishly, Matamune wished she'd stop. Her verbal recollection of everything that had ever plagued him from the first day Hao had saved him was only making his own – and everyone else's - powerlessness all the worse.

"And I hate it," Furin continued hoarsely, her fists clenching into her robes. "I couldn't believe it, but sometimes I even hate him for it, even if I _know _there's nothing worse than what he goes through and tries to suppress…every single day… But when he gets like _that,_ I feel so sick of it. I'm sick of going through this feeling, sometimes I wish he'd just…"

She took a deep breath, her pale mouth quivering, but still unable to form the words – and for that, Matamune was grateful.

If Hao had known along… about the darker thoughts his own allies had entertained about him. And if that was a reason contributing to why he wasn't getting any better… it was unbearable.

The crushing weight of the guilt nearly broke Matamune as he finally realized the ugliness of what Furin had just made clear to him, the ugliness he had unconsciously escaped from all these years. The cat bowed his head, not wanting anyone to witness the weakness streaming in rivulets down his face.

The bleakness was damning. Goro and Yuki-chan hovered, gazing down upon the two, empathizing fully with them…and yet, remnants of the past started to flash in their minds.

"_Father! Father! What've you done?" Yuki-chan squealed, for all his nineteen years, acting like no more than a boy of twelve. His pale hands were clasped tightly over a much younger boy, who was panting from his 'senior's routine antics. _

"_Hideyuki-san…" the boy growled, trying in vain to break away from his captor. _

"_Naughty~ Haven't I told you to just call me Yuki-chan, Mappa Douji-kun?" Yuki-chan scolded. _

"_I don't give a…!" Mappa Douji started to snarl, before finally realizing his mentor's…state. _

"…_WHAT'VE YOU DONE?!" Mappa Douji roared in sheer shock, nearly blowing everyone's ears out. _

"_I'M NOT DEAF, YOU LOUD-MOUTHED BRAT!" Goro roared back in full kind. _

_Yuki-chan and Mappa Douji both stiffened as they observed the change even in Goro's voice – normally guttural and deep already, had transformed into an even lower, beastly growl in every syllable uttered. _

_Goro smirked at both boys' expressions. "Like it?" he flaunted. He did a flamboyant twirl, the gesture at odds with his wild appearance. "The first of its kind! And I succeeded!" _

"_Into turning yourself into an animal…?" Mappa Douji let his words trail off, childishly condescending. _

_Goro's now-shaggy eyebrow twitched, but then cleared. "I guess my discoveries are indeed far beyond the appreciation of immature minds." Ignoring his student's indignant squawk of protest, he continued as if granting a very great honour. "By turning myself into a being that has taken on the charming characteristics of dogs, I'll be able to understand the way dogs think and act and even converse! Ah, how close it brings me to those adorable mongrels…" _

"_Why would anyone want to understand _dogs_?" Yuki-chan exclaimed critically. "They bark at anything remotely weird coming their way! Only you would come up with such weird things, Father." To his right, Mappa Douji gave a fervent nod._

_The result was a resounding smack across their heads. "You little brats don't understand anything at all!" Goro roared as they two boys massaged their soreness. "Only the non-enlightened ones deem anything out of this world as weird!" _

"'_Non-enlightened?' " Yuki-chan muttered._

"_Is there such a word?" Mappa said. _

"_Doesn't out of the world already imply 'weird'…?" Yuki-chan sniffed. _

_Goro suddenly quietened, and the two instinctively stood upright. "It's not so much as of for something frivolous as 'for fun'…" Goro said softly, his eyes growing almost flat. "In order to truly understand the embodiments of nature… Isn't this a good way to start?" _

"_Sensei?" Mappa said hesitantly. _

"_Humans have always neglected the minds of animals," Goro continued. "What do animals feel? What do they think? It's a common sentiment among humans to feel that animals are good companions, or essential tools for our way of life. But no one has ever truly bothered to find out what truly makes animals tick. They have feelings, they have their instincts – often not that far off from humans, I might suggest." _

"_But aren't animals governed by pure instinct?" Yuki-chan said. "No matter how anyone slices it, it's kinda hard to fathom how animals are actually capable of complex thinking – even if they do have feelings," he quickly added. _

_Goro smiled. "Perhaps. Or who knows? Perhaps there is something even more than that. It's a strange world we live in, with so much untapped mysteries to unveil, and it is Man's common inclination to ignore the wonders that surround us every single day." _

_Both boys stood in awe of their father/mentor's speech. "M'boys," he said genially, clapping his large (furry) hands on each boy's shoulder. "Father here will go on to discover more, until he can transform into a dog – scratch that, or any other animal! – he wishes. Completely. Entirely. The real thing. This is just the beginning. Then I'll be more in touch with nature, with animals, and everything else humans have yet to reach." _

_Mappa Douji gazed up at his mentor, filled with memories, once again, of the day his mentor had found him – a bloodied, frail boy wanting nothing more than to go home. "Mappa Douji, huh?" his mentor had said back then. "Good, strong name! How about you come with me?"_

"_Where are you bringing me?"_

"_Somewhere where you can learn so much more – the spirits and demons you see everywhere. It's not right for a little guy like you to wander around seeing ghostly existences while knowing nothing of the spirit world, you know."_

"_I do know some stuff," Mappa Douji had said, feeling offended. He tried to squash the memories of Ohachiyo's teachings – Ohachiyo, gone forever, leaving him only with a power he'd learned to fear. _

"_No you don't," Goro shot back. "At least, not as much as you like to think you do. There's talent in you, boy, but there's nothing to encourage it until you actually take up some real hard lessons. How about it?" He'd made it sound like a challenge. _

_Presently, Mappa Douji shook himself out of his reverie, focusing on his mentor's shaggy face. "Sensei," he started. "Will I…be able to learn? About nature? And everything in this world?"_

_Goro barked out a laugh. "Learning everything in this world only makes life boring," he said. "But I suppose you're in a good position to do it. Get out there, learn, learn, and learn more. And get stronger. That's how you grow as a person, especially for one such as you, Mappa." _

"_Let's all do it!" Yuki-chan fisted in the air. "And Father will continue until he manages to transform into a dog, cat or pig or whatever there is! Right?" _

_It was a fine afternoon then – three people (or two, since one wasn't quite so) challenging each other animatedly, full of vigour and passion for whatever goal they had in mind. _

_It was three weeks later that Goro and Hideyuki were both executed for demonic witchcraft. There was no other little boy rumoured to be hanging around the two, when the men responsible for the arrest tried to scout for him. Eventually, they dismissed the rumours and acclaimed it to be a dark spiritual summons of the two 'practitioners'. _

_

* * *

_When exactly everything started to surround his mind, deafening him, tormenting him with its incessant noise, Hao didn't quite remember.

He remembered a young girl crying, enduring blow after blow from her drunken father as her mother lay still in a pool of her own blood.

He remembered a vengeful husband, whose wife had been driven into the arms of another through sheer resentment of being ignored by her busy politician spouse. The man ordered his wife flayed and her lover killed. The man died of 'gastric problems' two weeks later, right before his wife hung herself.

He remembered a son of a famed scholar, being thrashed and disgraced by his parents and teachers alike for cheating. His peers had gotten a good laugh at the removal of the threat posed by the boy genius.

He remembered people suffering, dying, disease and war proving too much for their feeble bodies and spirits. Desperation drove them to loot, kill, and betray their own kinsmen to ensure their own survival, hoping for salvation from looming death posed by sickness and threats by bandits and soldiers alike.

And most of all, the noise that begun to surround him soon after Ohachiyo's disappearance. The vile, hypocritical thoughts of the people around that made the disgusted coil of fire in his stomach twist until he had to retire, more than once, early to vomit.

Even in his sleep, the images didn't let him go. Nightmares that had him wake up screaming, night after night, as his scandalized mentor and son had to rush to calm him down.

Intensive training and daily sedation kept his condition at bay, but it didn't stop the noise that bombarded him whenever he was in a crowd. It came as no surprise as he retreated into the life of an almost-hermit, enjoying only the time he spent with his diviner teacher and his flamboyant son.

The murder of the only two people he had left nearly drove him over the edge as he eyed the men responsible for their arrest from a corner, his eyes gleaming with ice-cold venom. Only the returning spirits of Goro and Yuki-chan prevented him from losing it again.

As he moved through the transition from boy to teenager to man, his power as a shaman had grown along with him – power enough to even keep his inner demons under control enough. That had been, what he believed, the answer.

More power. More strength.

But now?

Hao's eyes opened slowly, and he startled himself fully awake as he realized the midday sun shining hanging directly above him. Instinctively, he held a hand in front of his eyes to shield himself from the glare.

"Mmm…" The soft groan beside him prompted the onmyoji to look down at the sleeping bundle beside him. Manta had removed his outer clothing, only to cover himself with it like a blanket, the cold clearly getting to him even as he slept, discomfited.

Fatigue was clearly expressed on the boy's weary face, having stayed up all night and experiencing the harrowing events of the morning. Hao let out some of whatever Furyoku he still had left to warm the surrounding temperature.

"Whassup…" Manta murmured as he shrugged off his makeshift blanket, rubbing his eyes wearily and letting out a huge yawn in the process.

It took him a moment to realize where he was. "Eh?!" He immediately attempted to stifle his yawn midway, which had taken on a rather unglamorous gesture on his face.

Hao's lack of response yet again, faltered his stutters for the second time that day. The familiar sense of stupidity washed over him as the awkward silence was all that was left to fill the gap between them.

Looking upon the elder man, it was with sudden dawning that Manta fully realized the invisible wall that had always been present between the two of them; only today, did it make itself truly felt when he looked into Hao's dulled eyes.

"…Are you okay?" the words tumbled out of Manta's mouth before he could stop himself.

Manta's stomach warped with indignant embarrassment when Hao looked at him in slight surprise, which morphed into twisted amusement, as if surveying a stupidly kind child. "Yes, I am."

At least he'd chosen to reply. Manta swallowed.

"We should be going back," Manta tried. "Furin-san and the others will be worried about us." _About you, rather, he added silently. _

The slightly sardonic smile never left Hao's face as he looked away from the smaller boy. "I doubt my presence would be very much welcome. Not after what I did today…or what I said to Furin."

"Maybe. But it beats letting them worry about you. Or just sitting around here." Manta pressed on when Hao remained silent. "Yorimichi is after you… and me… it'll be easier for them to find us if we don't try to keep moving as soon as we can."

"You humans…" Hao murmured, setting an unpleasant electric shock up the boy's spine. "Are you all always so bent on rushing, going nowhere? Is it such a chore for you to simply stop, think, wait…listen?"

Manta fell silent, fixing his gaze upon Hao. Strangely, his earlier awkwardness and discomfort had passed, leaving only a serene sort of determination in him. "Us humans…" he spoke levelly, hoping Hao would recognize the intent behind his choice of words. The spark in his eyes made it clear that he did. "Us humans…often get pretty desperate, especially when we're not able to do anything. But on the other hand, that's also because we don't like to give up easily."

Hao turned his eyes onto Manta. A strange mirage of emotions seemed to dance behind them, not unlike when they had first met in this era. But there was still the speck of annoyed amusement that Manta realized he had to grow accustomed to – the amusement that was clearly offering him the chance to speak his mind.

The butterflies in Manta's stomach were starting to dance again, but he trudged on for all what it was worth. "We don't give up easily, not when it comes to the things we really want the most.

"I mean, it doesn't exactly have to refer to things that are…_noble _or anything," Manta continued in a rush. "But when it comes to the thing we want to protect the most…" He trailed off, suddenly remembering Nobunaga's furious wife at his trial. A pang went through him when he realized that he had never given a thought to the feelings of the people who had possibly lost their kin to Yorimichi's power-hungry efforts; he had been much too overwhelmed after getting the blame shoved upon him.

Lost in his own thoughts, Manta didn't see the unreadable look in Hao's eyes as he surveyed the smaller boy. "Aren't you going to ask?" Hao asked coolly.

"What?"

"You've forgotten?" Hao said. "How disappointing. I thought you might want to actually know about the one who has actually experienced the darkness of the human heart, before rushing to defend them without knowing anything."

The sarcasm behind the onmyoji's words would have made anyone – including Manta – cringe, if Manta hadn't been too preoccupied with something else. "You mean… I haven't… I mean, do you _want _to talk about it? I've been asking everyone else until I'm sick of hearing my own voice every time it happens," he finished, rather heatedly.

"Would it have hurt you if you had actually chosen to ask the person in question directly?" Hao replied.

The scathing tone grated on his nerves. "I tried, remember?" Manta forced himself to sound calm. "But you didn't look like you were up to talking about it."

"So you tried to get your information through the backdoor."

Manta lost his patience. "Beats you screaming at me like you did at the Fujiwaras," he seethed. "What's up with you, anyway? It's like you can't make up your damn mind if you want to actually tell me about it or not, and then you accuse me for it?" The cold afternoon wind blew past, even in the sun, but Manta was too angry to notice that whatever protective barrier Hao had placed against the cold had long gone.

"Or maybe I've placed emphasis on my 'accusation' wrongly," Hao replied. "Perhaps I am merely suggesting you keep your comments to yourself without understanding the full picture; it's unsightly."

"_What _full picture?" Manta snapped, all reason fleeing him. "Are you finally up enough to say it aloud? Because it's freaking difficult to try reasoning with someone who doesn't even try to make other people understand before hurling insults at them!"

Hao's own temper lashed out. "Are _you…impertinent little…_ talking to me about _reason_?" Hao snarled. "You don't know anything. Do you hear me, Oyamada Manta? Nothing!"

"I may not know anything," Manta seethed. "But at least I don't vent my frustrations on people just because I feel like it, or think that the whole world should be answerable for my suffering."

For a moment, Manta thought Hao was going to hit him. Or fry him. But Hao's grinding jaw soon relaxed, and his eyes dulled to a dark humour.

"It's a good thing you didn't try asking me," Hao said. "The truth would simply be far too out of reach for you, even if you try to pretend it not to be."

"Fine, go then!" Manta yelled after Hao's retreating figure. "Go find something else who'll take your priggish…_attitude_!" But the onmyoji had gone by then.

Manta collapsed at the ground, his knees giving way to pure exhaustion. As his anger started to abate, horrified guilt replaced it as he realized that, in his own selfish fury and defensiveness, he had never considered asking the older man again about his condition.

No words of concern. No actions of showing that he cared. Just childish resistance and hurtful words thrown out by his self-centeredness.

Manta pressed his palms to his eyes as he started to rock back and forth.

* * *

"Are you ready?" the lord's smooth voice cut through the stifled air effortlessly.

The Elder of the Asakuras, Asakura Ishimoto – second in rank to only the wanted onmyoji – nodded once as he stood up. An array of shells and strange insignia was drawn across the hard ground, as well as a pentagram that the lesser-informed would have taken to be a mark of a demon's ritual.

It wasn't hard to imagine why regular people expressed fear at shamanic activities. The Elder snuck a glimpse at the impassive face of the Fujiwara son, grudgingly admiring the lack of fear or doubt in the younger man.

Not that it stopped Fujiwara no Yorimichi from being a dastardly brat. But to deal with greater threats, it was only inevitable to ally oneself with others we'd rather not.

"Asakura Hao," Ishimoto murmured, as he and his brethren raised the chant.

_**END OF CHAPTER 21**_

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* * *

**_**Author's Note: Well, that's that. I was seriously considering putting up a chapter that is no more than one of those disappointing author's notices of NO MORE WRITING in the event of my coming exams, but that would have been pretty unfair after leaving you guys hanging for so long. **

**Sincere apologies given to everyone's who's wasted their time waiting for a long belated update. D: Especially to HoshisamaValmor… **

**That being said though, the thing is, my A levels aren't going to go away till near end of this year, around November. So this is going to be the last chapter you'll be getting until my exams (which will determine if I make it into university or not!) are safely out of the way. Meaning there'll be no updates while I go through a life that isn't a life till end of the year. **

**The only thing I can offer to all you wonderful supporters out there is… keep yourselves busy with real life. Not that many of us have a choice in that… Who knows? The next chapter may come sooner than you think. :D **

**So what did you think of this poorly angsty chapter? Remember to R&R! **


	22. Chapter 22

**Through the Ages chpt 22**

**How have you guys been? Been such a while… my exams finished on Dec 2, but a week-long holiday (as some of you may know if you read my profile) and petty things like housework, preparing for Christmas, looking for a temp job and general loss of muse for a while came up. Not an excuse, but I did feel as if life was even busier than before my final exams… 0_0  
**

**Oh, and before I stop digressing, I'd like to express again how much my trip to Japan in wintertime – and especially to Mount Fuji and the Hirayu waterfall – reminded me so much of Through the Ages and Hao. Now enjoy and...Merry Christmas! :D **

**

* * *

**

_**Disclaimer**: "Are you sure about this, J?" A skeptical voice penetrated her thoughts as she fumbled with the lock._

"_Hush," she hissed as a form of answer. She was so close to her goal right now! There was no way a puny lock was gonna stop her!_

"_Fine," the voice said resentfully and receded back to the device stuck onto her chest, a jade green round orb that emitted an eerie green light in the darkness._

_Finally, the lock clicked opened. With barely a sound, the door swung inwards and cold wind blew out gently towards her. An oval room with wall made of books met her. But none of the books interested her. It was the holographic projection of showing what seemed to be a battle between a boy holding a blue orb and another boy holding a spear-like weapon._

"_Ha…haha… HAHAHAH!" Unexpectedly, a maniacal laugh bubbled from her belly. This was it! She was going to own Shaman King! Finally! Quickly, she stepped into the room and reached out her hand to grab the image. Just as unexpected as her laughter, the room shuddered. Before she was able to take another step, the floor disappeared and gravity ceased its chance to claim her._

"_Wha…? Frostedheavens don't own Shaman King! Damn it! I DON'T OWN SHAMAN KING! Nooooooooo!"_

_As the last syllable died away, the room shuddered again and the floor reformed. _

_**

* * *

**_

…**Kudos to my weird friend for coming up with this. Of course. **

**

* * *

**

"_Mother…?" _

_Heat. Searing, blinding heat. The boy could only manage a whimper as he watched his home burn, distinctly imagining echoes of his mother's screams while the flames engulfed her. _

_

* * *

_

_He heard the voices of villagers as he shuffled, unseen, underneath a bushy ledge. _

"_Did you hear? That demon woman, Asano Ha, finally kicked the bucket when soldiers burned down her hut!" A nasally voice rasped, the sound grating on the boy's ears. _

"_Serve her right! At least we can now sleep better at night!" a woman's voice replied. Laughter resounded. "But I heard her son's nowhere to be found. Oh, I hope the holy monks manage to rid us of that demoness' child!" _

"_Actually, I heard that demon woman died when she refused to give up her son," another villager spoke. "Psh! What nerve! To pass on her evil through her offspring, since she couldn't finish carrying it out when alive!" _

_The laughter and sneers trailed off as the villagers moved off, never noticing the young child that had gone stock still beneath the ledge. Cold, yet white-hot hatred began to spread through him as his nails dug into his palms till they bled. _

_What wouldn't he give to watch them all burn. _

_

* * *

_

"_Goodbye…human." The echo of Ohachiyo's final words continued to resound in his mind, long after his only friend disappeared forever, leaving the boy staring blankly across the water, Densen's blood covering him like patches of second skin. _

_Human… _

_Familiar claws of rage began to well up as the boy's eyes gleamed, giving his innocent face an inhuman glow. _

_Truly, a demon's child. _

_I am _nothing _like them… _

_

* * *

_

Hao awoke, the last of his half-furious, half-frightened growls tapering off into the silence of the forest surrounding him. Upon realizing he was alone, the onmyoji began to try to slow his erratic breathing, until he became clear-headed enough to notice that the sky had turned dark… and how very…empty the forest was.

Forests were among the most ideal places for the spirits to roam, for reasons he himself had not fully figured out. This time however, instead of feeling the familiar, pulsing energy of souls he had become accustomed to… there was nothing. As if something had scared them away.

Had it been because of him? He had likely released a mountain of murderous energy in his sleep, when his mind and soul had been the most vulnerable. But then, something else came to his notice. Another familiar, yet not at all welcome, surge of power from sources elsewhere.

"Asakura…" he murmured.

Had he been in a more fit physical and mental condition, Hao might have been able to track their location. As it was, he sensed rather than heard the power of the Asakura family, through their prayers and chants, from far off somewhere…directed towards his own spiritual power. His heart resonated in response, drenching his entire being.

Even after the feel of power had ceased sometime later, the stink of betrayal still lingered in the air.

* * *

"MANTAAAAAAAAA-CHAAAAAAAAN! HAO-SAAAAAAAAN! WHERE ARE YOUUUUUUU-"

"SHUT UP!" Goro roared at his son.

Furin ignored her two bickering spirits behind her, not feeling the need to reprimand them – yet. There was no one around, the good side being that there were no other regular people waiting to trounce them; the bad being that they didn't seem anywhere close to finding those two.

After a few more hours of Hao and Manta's mysterious disappearance, Furin and her two spirits had finally gathered themselves for a search. She had been worried about leaving the injured on their own, especially her mother, but her spirits had refused to let her trek out alone. Matamune had also looked better enough to announce that he'd send a signal if anything were to happen back at the cave. What sort of signal, Furin didn't know, but she suspected Hao had taught his Goryoushin more than a few tricks.

"Just make sure you three don't disappear as well," Matamune had said, rather tiredly, as his parting shot.

They'd walked and walked, enduring Yuki-chan's complaints of having to pass through so many of those ugly branches (although he couldn't feel it), and they were still nowhere close to locating…ah.

"Manta?" Goro uttered, eyeing the forlorn figure lying motionless on his back.

"HE'S DEAD!" Yuki-chan shrieked in horror.

"NO I'M BLOODY WELL NOT!" Manta roared back.

Silence followed except for the punctured breathing of the young teen, now sitting up straight, glaring at his three companions. He swallowed, and then looked away when he could no longer find the will to hold his gaze with Furin.

"Where is Hao?" Furin asked.

"Don't know," came the sullen reply.

Furin narrowed her eyes. She then proceeded to lift the diminutive boy up bodily by the front of his clothing.

"I really don't know!" Manta blurted, as he began to kick out in futile attempts to get away. His festering anger did nothing to stop the foreboding that welled up in him when he met with Furin's stare, rather than her physical actions. "I found him, but we yelled at each other at the end, and he went off! Somewhere there!" He pointed wildly at the direction where Hao had disappeared.

Furin remained still for a moment, before sighing and letting the boy down rather unceremoniously. "Wasn't the whole point of finding him to get him to come back?"

"I _tried,_" Manta insisted, although undercurrents of guilt and shame laced his words. "But he just said…stuff… stuff I shouldn't have paid attention to, but I just got so angry…" His words trailed off as he tried to stifle a sob, feeling pathetic beyond measure.

Furin and Goro stared at him in silence as Yuki-chan tried, awkwardly, to comfort the boy by putting an unfeeling arm around his shoulders. They exchanged glances, rather helplessly.

"Which way did he go?" Goro asked finally.

"He just _said_, Father," Yuki-chan retorted, rolling his eyes. "You're not becoming a senile ghost are you?"

"Come." Furin reached out a calm hand to Manta. Shakily, Manta accepted her offer, agreeing silently to find Hao before the two spirits could start trying to strangle the other.

* * *

It was already near nightfall, as the winter season brought with it shorter hours of daylight. In light of their activities, which involved spreading word of demons loose in surrounding villages (with a vague hint of threat if anyone gave into their sense of mercy and attempted to hide the wanted demons), most of the troops were beginning to grow drowsy in the cold weather. But their fear of their lord's retribution easily overtook any inclination to slack off.

Yorimichi sat in his tent, examining his work and letters with his usual efficiency. But busying himself with assignments did nothing to quell the irritation thrumming at the back of his mind, as he recalled his last conversation with the Asakura family.

"_You cannot locate him?" he had asked, rather coolly as the Asakuras stopped the chant abruptly. _

_The Elder, Asakura Ishimoto, regarded him with a calm gaze that would have made anyone else withdraw slightly. "There is a barrier," he replied simply. "A rather strong protective enchantment, possibly raised by someone with spiritual powers – one of Hao's companions, I believe." _

_A small smile which didn't reach his eyes passed across Yorimichi's face. "Yes, I have a good idea of whom," he said mildly. "Can this enchantment not be broken through?" _

"_It will not hold for long," Ishimoto answered. "Two days at most, if we keep up our own work on to breaking the barrier." _

_A hint of displeasure replaced the smile on Yorimichi's face. "Two days? They would be fools if they did not decide to move before then." _

"_Barriers, or any spiritual force, are always harder to establish when on the move," Ishimoto said. His wizened face did nothing to hide the faint glimmer behind his eyes, and it was then that Yorimichi realized that this was not a man that regular folks would be willing to trifle with either. "We would have a better chance at tracking them once they start." _

_The young lord knew all that already, from some of his secret delving into shamanic art over the years, so as to better understand the forces he would be going up against. The knowledge did not please him; the method was far from foolproof. But he forced a curt nod, before going back to his duties. _

Yorimichi sighed lightly as he laid aside one of his letters to the ministers involved in his scheme of things. The quicker he seized Asakura Hao and the boy – and possibly the shrine maiden with them – the faster it would be to proceed with the coup. With his father persuaded to take a backseat while Yorimichi took the opportunity to act upon what had, supposedly, been his lifelong goal – to exterminate demonic witchcraft – it provided the perfect excuse for ministers to accuse the Fujiwara head of inaction and crediting his son as the immediate, rightful heir. His brothers would be rendered next to useless in comparison as well.

Then again, he would have been foolish to expect anything but hard work when it came to dealing with Asakura Hao.

"Sir?"

Yorimichi shook out of his thoughts to look at his messenger at the front of the tent. "What is it?"

The messenger held out a neatly folded piece of parchment. "This just came for you, my lord."

Yorimichi narrowed his eyes, before beckoning him forward and taking the letter. As the young lord scanned through the message, he raised his eyebrows in faint surprise. After a few seconds, he folded up the note, and then proceeded to write and seal his reply on a fresh piece.

"Take this back to my sister," Yorimichi ordered his messenger.

"Yes sir," the messenger replied, and quickly took the letter and left.

Yorimichi glanced down at his work, now with a strange, unusual sense of foreboding to add to his irritation with the arrest efforts. He sighed again, ruing that one day of complications was one too many.

* * *

The group did not have to trek any further to locate Hao.

An anguished scream pierced the silence of the forest, the familiarity of it not doing anything to quell its animalistic, alien feel, making Manta's hairs stand on end. Without a word, the group dashed (or glided) in the direction of the sound.

They found him lying on his side, his long hair deviating from its usual, natural neatness and splaying itself all over his face. Hao clutched at his head, a terrifying series of growls and groans escaping his gritted teeth.

"Hao!" they cried simultaneously. Manta, along with the others, dashed forward to reach him, but the onmyoji at this point was unseeing in his agony and fury, and lashed out wildly at them.

Manta whimpered in pain, his earlier injuries throbbing with full force, and he could hear Furin struggling to get up.

"My God…" Goro whispered. Yuki-chan whimpered in agreement.

Hazily, Manta registered the strange stillness of the two spirits, the fear present on their translucent faces – as if fighting back the urge to flee.

"Hao…" The name slipped past the boy's lips like a mantra as he looked on helplessly at the writhing man on the ground. Nothing in his past experiences with the onmyoji could ever compare to…to this.

None of them could've heard what was tormenting Hao so in his mind. _You're a murderer…a fiend… _

"Shut up," he growled in agony.

_You've killed…you've killed so many people… There is no more hope for you… _

"They deserved it," he moaned. "Worms….worms, all of you…"

_You're a murderer… _

_But even this agonizing taunt was drowned out by the other thousands, millions of voices that added their pain onto him, piling his mind and soul with in an endless roar, until he could no longer remember his own name. _

"_SHUT UP!" _he screamed.

An enormous burst of power, wild and uncontrolled, hit his companions with brutal force. "Goro! Yuki! Come back!" Furin shouted, holding out what Manta vaguely realized as a memorial tablet, the exact sort Yoh used for Amidamaru's abode. It was a good thing she did – the images of Goro and Yuki-chan had gone vaguely blurry, flickering in light of the intense heat, as if in danger of passing out of existence.

Manta moaned, all too aware of the consuming heat. Then, he heard Furin beside him suck in a breath as he made out an outline of a growing crack above him, before something shattered all around him.

* * *

"Yorimichi-dono," a deep, aged voice sounded at the entrance of the tent.

Yorimichi turned, raising an eyebrow. He felt an unusual tweak of annoyance that someone had interrupted him as he was about to retire for the night. Without saying a word, he turned his gaze onto the guards stationed just outside his tent.

"Forgive us, my lord," one of the guards spoke, uncomfortable. "But he claims that the Asakuras have picked up on something important."

Intrigued for the first time in a long while, Yorimichi straightened. "What is it?"

"The barrier has been destroyed. The Asakuras have now identified their location," Ishimoto informed him, his gravelly voice taking on a new fervor despite the calm tone.

Yorimichi paused, momentarily stunned, before smoothing his features into a pleased smile. _Finally, _he thought. "Send out a unit to surround the area which the Asakuras have indicated," he ordered his men. "You and the rest of the troops remain here. And if she comes while I'm gone, tell her to wait."

"Yes, sir!" they obeyed immediately and disappeared.

The two men turned to regard each other closely, ignoring the shouts in the distance as Yorimichi's guards roused the soldiers together. "I trust you and your people will lead," Yorimichi said. It wasn't a question.

"Of course," Ishimoto replied. "It is our responsibility to apprehend one of our own, after all." The simple statement rang with a hint of warning that Yorimichi grasped immediately.

He only smiled in response.

_**END OF CHAPTER 22**_

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**Author's Note: And – it – is – finished! **

**No, not the story of course. Pooh. **

**For some reason, Yorimichi is turning out rather like Aizen Sousuke from Bleach, if you all watch that… And when Furin was calling Goro and Yuki back into their tablet, I was suddenly reminded of Pokeballs… -_-**

**Well, a rather shorter chapter than usual, but rather than trying to fit in more events and possibly causing lots of too-abrupt scene changes (and making you guys wait even longer…-coughs-) I decided to just leave it at that. **

**And…another warning, if you so please. I'm flying off again on New Year's Eve, to Korea this time. And if things go well, I'll be starting work soon after I come back… so the next chapter is still up for consideration. Still. At least I won't have to deal with homework after working hours, so the next chapter should be up sooner than expected. **

**Reviews greatly appreciated, especially from those of you whom I KNOW are faithful readers and would never let me down. Ever. :) Once again, Merry Christmas!  
**


	23. Chapter 23

**Through the Ages chapter 23**

**I lied. I haven't updated in a long time despite my exams having finished. So long that my results have already been released – and was the main reason for my depression in not having done as well as I feel I deserved to, after all that hard work that went into studying. Hence, the delay in updating, along with the rigours of both finding and keeping a temp job. **

**Worries over the prospect of possibly not being able to enter university has plagued my mind even as I wrote this chapter, so apologies if there's any area that doesn't quite match up with your expectations… **

**Let's get on then. **

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**_Disclaimer:_ **Moving towards the time warp, it was all Night could do to force the lid back on the link between the primary Earth and the secondary Earth.

"Damn it," he spat. His powers were waning in the fluctuating waves of reality and surreality. What was and what wasn't, what is and what isn't, slammed into each other in a colourful performance of fireworks.

"I won't let you win, Frostedheavens!" He screamed.

Finally, the lid was violently and suddenly back in place. Reality settled into its usually rational state.

Before he fainted, Night murmured.

"You will never win, Frostedheavens… You have never and will never own Shaman King."

**_xCredits to Ao Yuki for her wacky disclaimersx_  
**

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It was almost pretty, when their invisible protection came into full view as it broke into crystal-like, aquamarine-tinted pieces. Even as the pieces seemed to fall on him, Manta registered no sensation; far too engulfed in Hao's own overwhelming, suffocating power.

"The barrier's…gone," he choked out lamely, unable to think of anything else to say through the strange numbness spreading through his mind.

Then his heart skipped a beat, hastening in its pace, as a fresh feeling of strange ominous dread began to rise within him.

"They're coming," he heard Furin say. She clenched her fists, as she looked back at the kneeling onmyoji – or tried to, as waves of pure, uncontrolled power threatened to knock her off her feet. Hao's groans pierced through the crackle of the flames and with a start, Manta noticed for the first time the burning inferno that was starting to spread all around them.

"We – we can't take him back like this," Manta uttered, his voice hoarse with rising panic. "Furin, can't you create another barrier?"

"No," Furin hissed. Her eyes were alight with a mixture of cold fury and desperation. "There isn't time till they're upon us and even if we did – he'd destroy it."

Manta gnashed his teeth together, forcing his hazed mind to think of _something, _anything, anything to help them out of this mess.

_Control your thoughts, _a voice that sounded remarkably like his father's echoed in his mind.

The first thing they had to do was to calm the distressed onmyoji, to plug him back into reality, in order for all of them to make their escape. Armed with nothing but that goal, Manta pushed his way towards Hao.

But every step he took was agony, and by the time he was about three feet away from Hao, he was certain that his small person was on fire, oh god –

He collapsed to the ground, unable to find the strength to move or even crawl away. Manta vaguely registered distant shouts – probably Furin's? His nerve endings were screaming with white-hot pain, but even as he felt a pair of hands wrapping around his small frame, attempting to pull him back, he clung on to whatever ground he could feel beneath him. Everything else had disintegrated.

"Hao…" he panted. _Can't be found, can't be caught, more people dying, no going back - _"Don't…don't get us killed." He swallowed, trying to wet his parched throat, and summoned whatever strength he had left. "Don't get us killed, you MORON!"

Even before the words left his mouth, Manta nearly choked on his terror – miraculously though, the piercing heat and flames surrounding seemed to be slowly but gradually dissipating, as Hao continued to gasp like a dying man.

Furin didn't waste any time. She dashed towards Hao and lifted him to his feet with strength much unfitting of that of her slender frame. Despite Hao's obvious efforts, Manta could still detect the undercurrent of barely restrained rage of power that still lingered around the onmyoji, ready to snap at an instant's notice – but he pushed past that terrifying thought as moved quickly forward.

"Hold on," was the only warning Furin gave before Manta felt himself being absorbed into an aura of light.

When he snapped open his eyes, Manta found himself back inside the cave.

"You're finally back." Matamune's quiet voice was filled with unusual urgency.

Manta turned to find the cat and the injured Giantess with their belongings packed, clearly ready for the move. "I apologize for not sending out a signal earlier," Matamune told Furin, as the Giantess tossed Manta's backpack to him. "I have yet to confirm my abilities in masking spiritual energies, without which I would risk exposing our location in an instant…"

"Believe me," Furin replied. "It wasn't necessary." Matamune followed her gaze to the weakened Hao leaning heavily onto the shrine maiden's side.

Matamune opened his mouth as if to say something to his master, but then closed it, and shook his head a little. "They'll be on us soon," the Giantess rasped out, her large frame trembling slightly but was still remarkably stable on her two feet.

"How are you feeling, Mother?" Furin's voice resonated with worry as she eyed the Giantess' form.

"One arrow isn't enough to take me down," the Giantess rumbled. A ghost of what was almost a smile flitted across her face. "Now move!"

It was a sign of the desperation of the situation that the Giantess didn't try to make Manta carry their belongings as well. But he beat her to it when she made to carry the other bags, paying heed to her weakened state.

Thankfully, the luggage wasn't too heavy. As he moved as quickly as he could beside the others, a strange sense of panicked responsibility took hold of the small boy when he realized that other than Furin, he was the only one who still remained healthy – if he disregarded Furin having to shoulder a severely weakened Hao alone.

_Although I wouldn't be any much of an asset whether injured or not…_ The unbidden thought crossed his mind as he contemplated, momentarily, how less trouble it would've been for everyone if he'd been the only one hurt…

But the unwelcome thoughts did nothing to distract him from the dense patch of forest that they had to make their way through. By unspoken agreement, no one suggested taking the route that had its trees and snow succumb to Hao's fires.

Breaths got more and more ragged as nature's design worked mercilessly against them, with the darkness, numerous branches and heavy snowfall hindering their movements greatly. Like a rising tidal wave, Manta could feel an ominous sense of foreboding, more distinct than anything else he'd ever felt, caress his spine like an ice-cold dagger; a sensation that was far more than just a sixth sense. And every painfully slow step only served to heighten it.

"How is he?" Manta gasped out.

"Not too good," Furin answered, sounding much less ragged than Manta felt. Her feet made their way through the snow with much more grace than anyone else.

Manta eyed Hao. The onmyoji had certainly calmed down after that explosive flare of rage, but he was still pale and worn, a far cry from the usual confident, calm poise. In fact, he barely seemed aware of his surroundings, his legs moving forward in only a mechanical fashion.

Suddenly, his eyes snapped open. And for one heart-stopping moment, Manta thought he was about to sink into another bout of fury. But the look on his face – of sudden realization – offered another equally menacing answer.

"They're here…" Hao rasped.

The ominous foreboding rose to a feeling of horror just an instant before the sound of horse hooves, muffled in the wake of snowfall, started to come in from all sides.

"Shit…" Manta couldn't stop the curse escaping his lips as he eyed the figure moving forward, a sight even more unwelcome than the ring of soldiers surrounding them, trapping them completely.

Fujiwara no Yorimichi smiled, as if greeting old friends. "Hasn't it been awhile, my friends?" he said softly.

* * *

"He is really ready?" one of the ministers asked, experiencing difficulty in masking his anticipation.

Murasaki's eyebrow, very faintly, twitched. This had to be the sixth time she'd endured constant pointless questions about her brother's actions. No doubt that brat had pushed the responsibility of rallying the ministers to her for the sake of rattling her constant, icy composure.

"Not quite 'ready' at the moment, Makoto-san," Murasaki tried to reply as patiently as she could. "But word has it that my brother is currently in active pursuit of Asakura Hao and his companions. Already he is making his efforts known all throughout the political and spiritual world."

"Hmph," one of the other ministers – a Tachibana, as visible by his rather bulky nature, befitting that of a samurai clan – snorted. "I just hope he doesn't screw this up one way or another – we've seen that happening before."

Murasaki was almost tempted to remind him of his own previous foolish mistakes in his over-zealous efforts to climb to power, but bit her tongue. Moreover, the secret fear that lingered wordlessly over the ministers gave her no small measure of gratification, despite their attempts to mask their insecurities behind arrogant, loud voices.

Personally, unlike many, Murasaki herself felt no particular fear toward spiritual entities. In her younger days, she'd been able to catch glimpses of several odd-looking, almost grotesque, bodies lingering around the Fujiwara estate, as well as in the outside world she rarely visited. Much of those creatures had resembled the drawings she'd chanced upon in some of her religious readings (many of which had not been approved by her elders) , but other than the occasional mischievous spirit, none had ever made any effort to approach her, much less posing a threat to her.

Briefly, she wondered why her sightings had grown less and less frequent as she grew older, before dismissing the thought entirely. The creatures never made much of an impact on her life, and she therefore accorded them little interest.

Murasaki had never mentioned her ability to see spirits to anyone else.

"There's probably no problem with the others," another minister rumbled. "But that Asakura Hao… he's the real fix. With him, the others will probably be even harder to get at."

Murasaki turned grey eyes onto the minister, who found himself caught up in her gaze despite himself.

"I mean…" the minister attempted to clarify himself. "Even with the Asakura family after him, ah, wouldn't Hao, as leader, still hold some influence among them...?"

Murasaki smiled at that, with all the life of frozen porcelain. She knew what these men were really worried about. If the Asakuras gained the credit for capturing their leader, it would mean political trouble for the Fujiwaras and other…regular human ministers. Even if there was a possibility of her brother being seen as the one who'd successfully rallied a powerful shaman family, the strange powers of the Asakuras would always pose a threat to the ministers' hold on power. And if the other residents – or the common people – were to learn of the Asakuras' efforts in subduing a potentially berserk demon from their own clan, it would only put them in a position more favourable than any of the ministers would have liked.

"Rest easy," she told them. "My brother and I have plans for the Asakura family. They will no longer give you the headache they so often have when Asakura Hao is finally dealt with."

* * *

It hadn't been a very long fight. In fact, the one-sidedness of it apparently seemed to astound even the Asakuras themselves, who, like many, never expected a one-sided fight with Asakura Hao in _their _favour.

Yorimichi had merely gazed upon them with a lazy smile, watching as the Asakuras raised the same eerie chant that resonated with ancient power – power that even Hao was unable to stand up to in his weakened state.

Struggling in vain against the invisible force rendering him inert on his knees, Manta could feel the familiar well of despair and disbelief rising as he gazed upon his captured allies. Furin's spiritual power was holding up remarkably well against the combined force of Asakura strength, but one look at the tension in her neck and face gave away the fact of her immobility. The Giantess was pinned down by 8 men – it took that many to just barely hold her down. Manta had noticed, with a slight start, the shimmer of strange light pulsing weakly but furiously against an invisible barrier – he hadn't realized the enormous woman had had Furyoku herself.

Manta saw Furin's eyes narrow piercingly as one Asakura member moved forward to take away her spiritual tablet – robbing her of her spirits. The younger Asakura fought hard not to flinch as the shrine maiden's gaze lingered on him. But Manta paid no attention to him.

Hao and his Goryoushin, Matamune, had been subjugated additionally by prayer beads, which Manta recognized with a jolt as the 1080 beads – the very same Anna had used against his shikigami, so much further in the future. Manta could feel the malignant Furyoku pulsing against the power of the 1080 beads wrapped across their bodies, and was suddenly glad that he wasn't able to see Hao's expression from his angle.

Yorimichi slid off his horse gracefully as he moved closer towards his captives. Manta wanted to punch the stupid smirk off his face.

"You've certainly made us run round in circles for you," Yorimichi remarked lightly. "But still – it is good to see you again, Furin." He gave a smile that might have actually been warm if not for the icy amusement that still lingered in his eyes.

Furin shot him a cold glare, which widened his smile. She said nothing.

Then Yorimichi sighed. "I did warn you," he said. "I did warn you of the consequences if you chose to mix with someone such as this." He inclined his head towards Hao, who was lying prostrate on his knees, his long hair hiding any expression in his eyes. Yorimichi's lips further lifted.

Furin's glare went even frostier, even as her own mouth lifted in a disgusted smirk. "Your tongue's remarkably loose today, even for you."

"Forgive me. You see, even if this wasn't entirely unexpected," he said, almost musingly. "Never have I actually imagined you, of all people, to be kneeling before me, Hao. It is rather a sight worth savouring a little." He shook his head as raucous titters rippled through the crowd of soldiers surrounding them.

Manta swallowed, hardly out of fear, but from a fury so intense it almost scared him. The injustice of it all made him want to scream and hurt the smiling son of a –

He stopped.

As if he could sense his emotions, Yorimichi's gaze snapped to him. "Ah, Manta-kun," he greeted casually, as if bidding to a particularly hard-working employee. "I was looking forward to you pulling off another heroic stunt like your last evening at my residence." His gaze returned to Hao, something like amused triumph glittering in his eyes. "I wonder if there will be adequate opportunity for you to do so, though?"

Manta was about to spit something biting against the older man, when Hao slowly, almost hypnotically, lifted his head. The Asakuras tensed, their powers tightening around the 1080 beads restraining the man, as if fearing a sudden attack. Yorimichi glanced at him, his eyes narrowed and calculative, no longer smiling.

A smile with absolutely no warmth graced Hao's worn features – the smile that was all too disturbingly familiar to Manta.

"Shall I answer that question, Yorimichi-sama?"

Yorimichi barely had time to register the mocking honorific addressed to him, when Furyoku, rolling off the onmyoji in white waves, seeped past the confines of the beads like smoke.

The Asakuras jerked back, no doubt alarmed at the level of the onmyoji's power that was still enough to escape, in minimal amounts, despite the powerful constraints placed upon him. They tried to raise their strength, their hold over him, but not before those waves of Furyoku touched upon the rest of them.

Almost wearily, Manta wondered at how fast he seemed to be becoming used to passing out and ending up someplace else, before he closed his eyes in exhaustion and gave in.

* * *

In that someplace else, Manta's eyes remained shut, unconscious and unaware of his surroundings – including the slight vibrating whirr resonating in the backpack over his shoulders. And he certainly couldn't see the flashing screen of his prized laptop that was tucked safely closed in his bag.

"…an..ta!" The chorus of his friends' voices went unheard as Manta continued in his deep slumber.

_**END OF CHAPTER 23**_

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**A/N: So…that's about it. Short chapter I think, but I think too many scene breaks (like I wanted to introduce initially) would come off strange, so I guess I'll just leave it at that.**

**I think I'm feeling better over my results now that quite some time has passed, but that hasn't stopped random people from popping up in my life to remind me how difficult it most likely will be for me to enter university. All that's left is to apply and pray, I guess. **

**Hopefully there'll be good news by the time I get the next chapter uploaded. Reviews, people, for this poor, hard-working soul –ahem-. **


	24. Chapter 24

**Through the Ages chpt 24**

**I have been accepted into university! –throws confetti- And into the course of my…dreams, I suppose. All those weeks of waiting for a reply weren't for nothing, after all. **

**As it is, I've finished four whole months of temp work (which has been draining my energy…-coughexcusecough-) and now all that's left is to kick back, relax and write..and do other things…before university semester starts. Woo. **

**And before I start: Do pay a visit to this link: **

** http:/ hoshisamavalmor DOT deviantart DOT com/art/Through-the-Ages-cover-fan-art-206487595 **

**Reason being that loyal reviewer HoshisamaValmor has been supremely dedicated and kind enough to draw a fanart...of my own fanfic! -swoons- Now I can actually start imagining this story as a real animation. I won't go on and on over this splendid piece of art, or it'll take up too much space, but if you've been kind enough to enjoy this story, this drawing is always worth a visit and a comment. **

**...Or even if you don't enjoy the story, it doesn't hurt to check out good art, does it?  
**

**Enjoy. **

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_**Disclaimer:** The sound of steel grating on steel forced out a wince from her mouth. It was aggravating, annoying as hell, and irritating her to no end._

_"My baby darling…"_

_She looked up, and scowled when she saw his face, looming threateningly above her. An urge to hit him rose up in her, suddenly and violently and demanding to be satisfied. But when her right hand tugged forward, the chains rattling made her grunt in pain. She spat out the blood from her cracked lips and glared at him sullenly._

_"Are you ready to say it yet?" He asked in a mocking voice._

_No, she wanted to retort. She would never say it. And when the sound of a metal fork scraping stopped, she thought she had him. He was finally giving up._

_Then, she froze. No way. He wasn't going to use that, was he?_

_He was._

_Two words: fingernails, chalkboard._

_She flinched._

_"Okay okay! I'll say it! Just stop the damn screeching! Frostedheavens doesn't own Shaman King, all right! Frostedheavens doesn't own Shaman King!"_

_**Credits to Ao Yuki(my dear beta-reader) **_

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A groan made its way past his lips as Manta forced his heavy eyelids open. It was so dark, he was hardly even aware he had opened his eyes. He felt snow shuffling beneath his weight as he sat up, groggily, and recent memories began to push their way to his mind's forefront.

He was barely aware of the others sitting up beside him. "Furin," he heard the Giantess rumble, using a mild tenor that would've startled him before. "Are you all right?"

The shrine maiden let out a long breath. "Fine," she said wearily. "Hao must've transported us away with whatever powers he had left." She then caught sight of Manta and Matamune, sitting close together in a rather forlorn manner. "What about you both? The Asakuras' powers were strong."

Manta fidgeted. "'M all right," he mumbled. He rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand, trying to clear the blurred shock that crowded his mind. He looked around him then, finally starting to register his surroundings.

The place was one of utter desertion. Bare trees grew in sparse numbers, much unlike their previous trek through the thick forest, with its twigs and branches interlocking with each other haphazardly. Snow that covered the landscape was almost untouched, leaving little marks of any living creature's presence. In the near distance, the faint outline of the darkened mountain landscape lay ominously, like a monster lying in wait.

Manta glanced up. The sky was still clear, without the usual clouds and fog of winter, leaving an array of stars that almost took his breath away. Even the view at the Fujiwaras hadn't been this…spectacular.

"The stars are beautiful tonight," Matamune murmured beside him.

_Understatement, much, _Manta thought. Recalling his first meeting with Tao Ren, he could finally understand the difference between seeing the stars in the modern period…and seeing the ones in this ancient time.

Tempting as it was to simply lie back and watch the stars, to forget the painful reality around him, Manta managed to pull himself away from trying to identify the different constellations. "W-where did Hao send us to?" A soft wind blew past as he spoke. He shivered, retreating into the scarf he wore around his neck. He hadn't realized just how much colder it was here than any other place he'd been to in Heian Japan.

"Near Osorezan," came the Giantess' baritone. "See the mountain before us?"

"Mountain… No wonder it's cold," Manta pondered. Then he started. "O-osorezan?"

Furin sighed. "It appears that Hao has finally given us the necessary choice."

"Sorry?"

"Or rather," she continued, "Hao has given _you _the necessary choice, Manta."

"What do you mean?" The darkness still pressed upon his eyes like black velvet, making it almost impossible to see. The only light came from the faint illumination of the millions of stars above them. Involuntarily, he squinted, trying to pinpoint his allies' location.

"You'll have to decide," Furin said, "Whether you wish to stay or to go home?"

Manta opened his mouth, unable to say a word.

"B-but…" he finally managed to stammer. "I thought Hao had to be the one to guide us to Osorezan?"

"He was," Furin replied. "And he still is, actually. But given our current…circumstances, he has transported us here, indirectly giving us the permission to enter and use the shamanic forces of Ushitora as we wish." A sudden glow illuminated from where her voice was, and it took several minutes before they got used to the ball of Furyoku resting on top of Furin's hand.

Furin retrieved the worn, tattered Cho Senji Ryakketsu from her haori's underside. "Just before things…happened," she said, trying not to stumble over the last word. "He gave me this. This, and his warning for us to continue ahead if we were to be separated."

Manta's breathing stopped short. "Did he – did he know what was going to happen? That this was going to happen?"

"He may have had a fair suspicion," Furin answered, her voice wooden. "Which was why he blessed us with his Furyoku at the last moment, and passed this to me – so that we would be able to overcome the protective enchantment around Ushitora if things were to go wrong. I may not be as adept as he undoubtedly is – it is his spell, after all – but I have studied its workings with his guidance." She raised her eyes to Manta. "I will be able to help you to return to your own time."

Manta didn't reply. The recent events had driven the thought of going home entirely out of his mind. And now, a most unexpected choice lay before him. To return and let history proceed as it probably should – or to stay.

His heart clenched at the thought of seeing his friends again. He hadn't seen his friends for what felt like a lifetime, and he could almost feel them calling him to come back. And he wanted to. Badly.

"At least tell me…what's wrong with him," Manta whispered. He bowed his head. "He never trusted me enough to tell me the truth himself, and I can't decide unless I know."

The hushed silence that followed was aching. "Please," he murmured.

"Have you ever heard," Matamune said softly. "Of reishi abilities?"

"I assume it doesn't have anything to do with mushrooms," Manta replied miserably.

"No," Matamune agreed. "Reishi, to put it bluntly, is the ability to read minds."

"Read minds?" Manta echoed numbly.

"To hear the thoughts of those surrounding you," the Giantess added, unexpectedly. Her three other companions stared at her; as always, unaccustomed to hearing the large woman speak more than three syllables. "Hao has that ability. That's how he's known, all along, of the plots those royal bastards have been cooking up. He's had that power for as long as I've known him."

"That means he's known everything before it even started…" Manta whispered.

Furin shook her head. "I doubt reishi grants you the ability to foretell the future – not foolproof, in any case. Circumstances change. But…." Her even voice broke off for a moment. "It would have given him an insight into the plans Yorimichi and his sister were making."

"But…" A dozen questions suddenly erupted, hanging dangerously on his lips, piercing the dull blankness that had clouded his mind moments ago. "He… he…" Manta swallowed. "How could have known about them all this time and did nothing to expose them? Something as big as this…"

"Big?" Matamune sighed. "Manta, political strife, betrayals…they're all part of the aristocratic clans. Especially within the most powerful family in Japan. Say nothing of the internal strife…other big houses, like the Taira, the Minamoto families… many of the officials would love to see the downfall of the Fujiwara family. And in this case, with Michinaga-sama's own son in this plot, members of the outside families would never miss this opportunity for encouraging conflict within the family itself, even if they haven't wholly allied themselves with Yorimichi already."

"He…" Manta started to argue.

"Don't you see?" Furin said. "It is a regular occurrence. I have witnessed some…ugly things myself when I was…" She cut herself off, before beginning again. "Different plots against different people are always happening. Do not be fooled by the supposed peace of this era. Political rivals, mistresses backstabbing each other for the sake of getting a man with power…they happen every day. Hao would have driven himself off the edge if he had participated in every single conspiracy."

"Except for now," Manta pointed out.

"Except for now," Furin said. "For you."

The words echoed themselves silently, as Manta heard his own heart thudding against his ribcage.

"Why?" he finally uttered, numbly.

Furin regarded him for a moment. "Perhaps he sees something in you that compelled him to help," she said. "I do not know."

"So – so all those….relapses that he had…"

He looked at Matamune, the cat spirit who had been the onmyoji's closest companion for the longest time. Matamune did not seem to be able to bear to meet his eyes.

"The reishi ability," Matamune started softly. "Isn't necessarily a good or empowering thing. Quite the opposite, in fact. Being to read the minds of power-hungry officials and despotic human beings who exist can be a…burden. Hao-sama's always lived with it…endured it...alone. Perhaps he believed, for the longest time, that humans could be redeemed, if he served them long enough, saved them long enough. But with the recent events…" Matamune trailed off.

"He'll be broken," Matamune continued in a whisper. "Broken beyond measure. He's breaking now. You see it, don't you? And I don't know how I can – " He didn't seem able to continue after that. Manta had never heard Matamune sound that way before, even during the rougher times. There was a bleak vulnerability that instilled both heartache and fear in Manta.

Comprehension dawned upon Manta even as images began to play like a film in his mind's eye; a Hao with a thousand years more power and determination smiling at him, gently jeering at his naiveté and the belief in love and friendship; a Hao who ruthlessly murdered the shamans he deemed unnecessary; the X-Laws, who existed for nothing more than to see the final end of the sinful Asakura Hao; Yohmei's explanations behind the dastardly history of the Asakura ancestor; and his own friends' stance against Yoh's older twin.

Manta let out a laugh, drawing stunned and slightly fearful expressions from his allies. "And in the end," he mused. "He still hadn't been able to trust me – trust _us _– enough to share his pain. One person couldn't possibly bear all that. The pain of hundreds of others."

"Manta – " Matamune tried to speak.

"I'm staying," Manta said.

Furin, Matamune and the Giantess exchanged looks between each other. "Manta," Furin said, somewhat cautiously. "Are you sure about this? You are after all, realistically speaking, not part of this world. You'd be…delaying the chance to reunite with the people you're important to for events that have happened a thousand years ago."

The very mention of his friends caused the ache within him to worsen, but Manta pushed it aside. "I can't face my friends…and him…like this. I know how that person's going to end up. Unhappy and angry at everything. He isn't wrong for being so. But he needs us, whether he likes to admit it or not. I'm staying."

* * *

"My lady," the guard's voice filtered through the thin shoji screen of the sedan. "There appears to be a few travelers up ahead. Please wait quietly in here while we take a look."

Lady Akiko murmured her assent, trying to hide her surprise that there would be still be others in this isolated shortcut she'd made her guards take.

It had been fairly difficult, to be able to sneak out of the house, away from under her overprotective father's wing. Harder still, to persuade some of her close servants and guards to even think of letting her out. There would be hell to pay if her father had found out about their negligence of his precious daughter. Even so, the agreeable answer delivered back from her brother (at top speed on the strongest horse the Fujiwaras owned, as per her order to the messenger) had finally reassured her guards somewhat reluctantly. Nevertheless, she permitted two of them to accompany her (to their great relief) after swearing whatever few people who knew of her late night trespass to secrecy.

Under the dim light of the lamp hanging in the sedan, she could see the outline of the note that the Manta boy had written her in her hand. She stared at the crumpled letter, a strange sense of dread and foreboding welling up in her as she did so.

"You!" She heard the guard outside bark. "What are you doing here at this time of night?"

Dryly, Akiko thought whoever was out this late probably had better reasons than she – until she heard familiar voices responding in kind.

"Hey," she heard her driver speaking this time. "Aren't you - ?"

Her eyes widened. Without hesitation, she stepped out of her sedan, ignoring the voluminous trail of her robes following her.

"My lady!" the driver protested, scandalized. "You should not be – "

"Is it him?" she demanded. "Put the light closer to them."

Mystified, the guard sank his heels into his own horse's sides and the animal obediently trotted forward.

The fiery torch illuminated three – no, four – familiar wary faces. One of them, the young shrine maiden, seemed to be holding a bright aura of light in the palm of her hand, although Akiko had no idea how that was possible.

"You!" the blonde boy cried out in shock upon seeing Akiko.

"My lady," the guard said. "That boy – he's the one wanted by Michinaga-sama. Please, just leave him to us."

At those words, the boy shrank back, although the fires from the torch gave away the glittering defiance lingering in his eyes. His companions – a rather strange sight, they were – tensed, as if getting ready for a fight.

"No, Tanaka," she ordered gently, but firmly. She moved a little further towards them.

"What are you doing here, Akiko-sama?" Furin asked.

Manta started at the recognition Furin paid to the young aristocratic female. Before he could inquire, Akiko answered. "I am on my way to see my brother." She paused for a while. "I assume he is the one responsible for your presence here?"

Furin narrowed her eyes, the grey orbs glittering lightly in the glow of the flames and her ball of light. "And for our missing companion," she replied.

It was then that Akiko realized that Hao was not with them. She cursed herself for her lack of observance. "It is precisely regarding this…matter that I am going to him now. I've heard rumours of your recent exploits." She hesitated there, a moment's indecision flickering in her eyes. And then she took the plunge.

"It would be best if you followed me to one of the nearest safe houses for the Fujiwaras," she spilled out suddenly, her tone much more hurried and breathless then she would've liked.

Their expressions matched the shock evident in her guardsmen' protests. "Akiko-sama! To –to take these people in…you'd be putting yourself in grave danger!" they sputtered.

"Quiet," she said, her normally soft, docile manner replaced with an unusual steel-like determination. Her guards retreated at once.

"Your men are right," Matamune said. "Helping us would cost you everything and reward you nothing."

The aristocratic lady looked upon the cat, still unable to believe the human voice that was coming from this animal. She shuddered at the thought of what it could mean for her to helping these unknown forces. "Perhaps," Akiko said. She clenched her fists and relaxed them, the movement so subtle Manta barely caught it. "I am willing to take a chance, though."

"Given that you are to be trusted," the Giantess responded bluntly.

At that, the guards began to protest at the insult aimed at their lady again, although Manta wasn't sure if it was the Giantess' bulky figure or Akiko's silent orders that eventually made them subside once more. "Come now," Akiko said. "To suggest that I would be capable of tracking you to this desolated place would be a rather ludicrous suggestion."

Although Manta knew she probably hadn't meant to be, her formal and rather cool manner of speech was somehow reminiscent of her brother's, quite unlike the softness that Manta had come to associate with this aristocratic lady, despite their lack of interaction. With a cringe, he realized this would not sit well with Furin and her giant mother, but he took matters into his own hands this time.

"Yes," he answered before anyone could. "Yes, we'll go with you." He looked towards the rest of his companions, receiving the startled stares that he expected. "I think she can be trusted. She's not like Murasaki and Yorimichi, or Hao would've said something."

"I can vouch for Manta and Akiko-sama," Matamune agreed. "In any case, lingering here isn't an option." He exchanged a glance with Manta, silent understanding passing between them. Matamune had, after all, seen Manta pen the letter to Lady Akiko.

Akiko spoke softly. "I realize you are not fond of associating with me, after your clash with the Fujiwaras…or my brother, in particular-" The shrine maiden's gaze fastened on the woman in front of her, her eyes narrowed and tinged with a curious mix of anger and regret. "But you and your mother ought to know there is precious little time."

Furin's mouth set into a hard line, before relaxing and letting out a breath. "All right," she said. "Just show us the way."

* * *

It was near dawn by the time Akiko arrived at camp. The sky, however, did not reflect the same cold but sunny weather that had had the opportunity to come through for just the past day. Dark, grey clouds hung overhead, allowing only the faintest glimpse of light through; torches still had to be kept ablaze to provide light for the weary samurais. Akiko was no weatherman, but it seemed as if a snowstorm would be on its way soon.

The gloomy weather doing nothing to raise her spirits, Akiko sighed and pulled the shoji screen shut. The sedan was slowing to a crawl, as Akiko heard her guardsmen clearing the crowd of soldiers to make way for the Lady Akiko. The sound of whispers among the men was audible; their interest in the unexpected visit from the beautiful aristocrat went undisguised.

"This way," she heard the low bark of a familiar general outside. The sedan seemed to be picking its way away from the crowd, moving towards a quieter spot.

A few minutes later, the sedan came to a standstill. Carefully, her guards opened the shoji screen to help their lady out of her carriage. What greeted her as she came out, her long and heavy _junihitoe _restricting her movements as usual, was a tent that somehow gave off an aura of importance, despite its similar appearance to the numerous tents set up in the area. Out of the corner of her eye, Akiko could see the crowd of men milling their way about some feet away.

"Yorimichi-sama has been awaiting your arrival, my lady," the voice of the general rumbled, as he bowed and gestured towards the tent, deferential in his manner.

The Fujiwara daughter was about to enter her brother's abode when something among the crowd of samurais caught her attention.

Shackled in chains and queer-looking rosary beads, Asakura Hao moved slowly along with the crowd. To her slight shock, Akiko recognized, in addition to the troops, the members of the Asakura family surrounding their founder and leader. But gone was the display of reverence and respect they usually showed around the powerful shaman. Instead, their faces were filled with a grim hostility, in spite of the jeers she could hear coming from the crowd of soldiers watching at the sidelines.

Unable to tear her eyes away, she watched as a particularly bold samurai moved forward to give the imprisoned onmyoji a rough shove. The normally controlled, graceful shaman must have been greatly weakened by whatever spell the Asakuras had placed upon him, because he stumbled and nearly fell over from the impact. What erupted as a response were even more pronounced jeers and raucous laughter among the ragtag group of men, as they called out things which she couldn't quite make out, but incited an elderly man whom she recognized as Asakura Ishimoto to bark out a cutting remark.

The soldiers quailed under the weight of the old man's words, but nothing could clearly have given them greater pleasure than to see the feared Asakura demon subjugated and captured at last. Not just the soldiers – high-ranking officers and even several tea boys were tittering and smirking among themselves.

Akiko bit her lip (a habit which her elders were always scolding her for), as she watched some members of the Asakuras gruffly steady Hao and push him to continue forward. She could not see the expression on the onmyoji's face.

They were about to pass out of her line of vision when Hao turned his head in her direction. Her heart giving a slight jump in spite of herself, Akiko stared at him. She could not quite see the look in his eyes, but somehow, she was sure that he was looking at her.

"Keep going," she heard Ishimoto order in a clear voice, and Hao turned away from her.

"My lady," the general interrupted her reverie. "Please. You should not be disturbed by one such as him."

Akiko faced the tent squarely. "Very well." She managed to keep her voice neutral as she entered regally into the tent, the guard lifting the partings for her.

Her brother, Yorimichi, raised his head and smiled as she entered. "My dear sister," he greeted warmly, rising from his seat. "How have you been, these past few days?" With a nod, he dismissed the guards from his tent immediately.

"Well enough," Akiko answered. Her brother's camp gave off an appearance much similar to the one at their house – several shelves lined with scrolls were stacked against the sides of the tent, while a large clothes chest Akiko recognized as a gift from Chinese nobility bore two other wooden boxes on top of it. A large white futon was lying in the corner, still rolled up, while his writing materials, some scrolls and a single oil lamp remained neatly stacked on his small, low table. No unnecessary décor lavished the place, much unlike some officials she knew, who seemed to consider it a religion to show off the grand displays of their wealth wherever they went.

"Have you not slept at all for the past night?" Akiko asked, eyeing the folded futon critically.

Yorimichi gave her a rueful smile. "I have not the opportunity to do so. You do realize how busy it has been for me?" He led her over to two cushions, occupying one himself, and leaving his sister to sit, her legs folded gracefully beneath her, directly opposite him.

"I have." For a moment, Yorimichi could have sworn he had a seen a faint resemblance of Murasaki's coolness linger on Akiko's gentle face, though it was gone as soon as he blinked. "I have seen Asakura Hao whilst I was making my way here."

"Ah," was all Yorimichi said in reply. He proceeded to lift a teapot beside him, pour the steaming tea into a teacup and offer it to his sister.

Wordlessly, Akiko accepted the drink and watched as her brother poured a cup for himself. When she received no further response, she pressed on. "He was not... treated well by your men, from what I saw earlier."

Yorimichi raised an eyebrow. "Surely, that should not bother you. He is a fiend, responsible for the gruesome murders that have had the misfortune to plague our family. Perhaps you did not see it, but…"

"I have heard of it," Akiko interrupted, her voice soft. "He burned our men alive, did he not?"

"And more, even after escaping the Fujiwara house."

"So he is to go through humiliation for his crimes, I presume."

Yorimichi regarded her in silence. He lowered his teacup. "As a matter of fact, yes. Before he is taken away to be executed. That is only fitting punishment for the deeds this man has committed."

"Executed by whom?"

Yorimichi leant back slightly, his face impassive. "By the Asakura family, of course."

Akiko said nothing. She continued to stare at her brother, feeling ice settling in her stomach.

"Come now," her brother said gently. "It is the only way this will bring peace to the Fujiwaras – peace that is needed for your wedding soon." He smiled. "I can picture you as a newly-wedded wife to Prince Ichijo even now."

Akiko smiled sadly. "A wedding in the midst of all this?"

"It can and it will happen." Her brother leaned forward to touch her hand. "You are kind, Onee-sama. But your kindness will not bring justice to this demon we now have in our hands."

Akiko sighed, feeling a headache coming on. Resolutely, she shook her head. "I am forgetting," she said. "That this was not the true purpose of my visit."

"Well, what is then?" Yorimichi enquired.

His elder sister remained mute for a few seconds, giving off the look of a trapped deer. Yorimichi frowned. He was about to enquire again when abruptly, Akiko withdrew a crumpled note from her voluminous sleeves and handed it to her brother.

His eyebrows still knitted, he unfolded the note and scanned it quickly. Akiko watched his face carefully, almost warily, but could not detect anything on her brother's expressionless visage.

After a few minutes of rather tense silence, he lowered the note and smiled at her. "My dear sister," he began, his voice low and amused. "Is this travesty of an accusation the reason that you came here all the way from our home in the midst of winter?"

Akiko flushed, the red visible even through the white rice powder painted across her cheeks. "I pondered long about it," she said, her tone mingled with childish protest. "I...had to make sure of it myself."

"And so," her brother said. "If I said that this, undoubtedly, is smeared with nothing but lies – would you believe me?"

Akiko paused, and looked up. It took immense willpower to maintain her gaze with her brother's piercing one. "I apologize for this," she whispered. "But Yorimichi… where do you go during your late night outings?"

The last few words had stumbled out in a rush, much unlike the cool, confident tones she had been unconsciously trying to mimick after her sister Murasaki. As it was, the flush on her cheeks deepened further. But that did not stop the strange resolve that still showed in her eyes as she observed her brother.

Yorimichi showed no obvious reaction, but Akiko thought she had caught the subtle stiffening of shoulders, the grim setting of a mouth, the narrowing of eyes. For a moment, he reminded her of the hard, wooden statues that littered areas of the Fujiwara estate, and the comparison did not bring her comfort.

Then, like a flicker of imagination, his features softened. "I didn't realize you had a habit of spying, my sister." His voice regained its teasing edge, and Akiko relaxed in spite of herself.

"Do not evade my question, Yorimichi," she sighed.

Yorimichi, too, sighed along with her. "I only go out to meet with ministers from other noble houses, to aid with this fight against the demons. You realize that without the samurai clans from the other houses, we would not have been nearly as effective in capturing Asakura Hao? Even if the Asakura family were the ones primarily responsible for tracking the man, it was thanks to our efforts to estimate the direction of their travel that led the Asakuras to come to a definite conclusion? Although, admittedly, the others with Hao managed to escape us." His lips curled in dissatisfaction.

By "others" Akiko presumed mostly meant Oyamada Manta. Yorimichi took advantage of his sister's silence to continue.

"And more than that," he said. "There have been tensions among the different clans, and there have always been skirmishes poised to develop into a full-scale conflict. This has always been so, especially against us, the Fujiwaras, due to our monopoly on political power at this moment. It is only through uniting against a common enemy that this has diminished so vastly in recent memory. Do you not agree that it is better to have the different nobilities work with us, rather than against us?"

Akiko hesitated. "I suppose…you are right." She decided not to ask what he thought about targeting potentially innocent beings to fulfill this peace-making process.

Yorimichi frowned. "You do not appear convinced."

Once more, she sighed. "Yorimichi…" she said. "I feel that many are forgetting Asakura Hao's past service to the Fujiwaras. I cannot say anything about the boy, but for this man… demon or not, should we not consider leniency? He has rendered us tremendous help on more than one occasion."

Yorimichi faced her. There was a long, meaningful pause as he considered her words. Finally, he spoke.

"I do not deny that," he said. "But do bear in mind that we should not be bound to fond memories alone. Murder is not a crime to be taken lightly. Asakura Hao has killed five loyal men of the Fujiwaras – through his unholy, "helpful" powers, no less. There is no more room for argument."

* * *

_**November 1999, Funbari Hill**_

"Manta! MANTA!"

The cries escaped in a desperate cacophony as Yoh and his shaman allies looked around them as if searching for an exit from an enclosed cage. The tattered book of the Cho Senji Ryakketsu lay open limply across the tatami mat, infuriatingly silent.

"Hao!" Yoh turned instinctively towards his brother. His half-sleepy eyes were now blazing with an emotion that was not quite anger, but with an urgency that was nevertheless intense enough to make lesser men back away.

"What happened? We got a connection to…to…to wherever Manta was, for just an instant, I know it!" Throwing all caution to the winds, he grasped the front of Hao's poncho, not even noticing the outraged gasps emitted from his brother's followers standing faithfully behind their master.

His grip only tightened when he received no response. "Hao!"

"Quiet, Yoh," Hao said quietly.

There was no distinct irritation in his voice, but it made his followers withdraw subtly, although unconsciously. Yoh's grasp loosened slightly, but did not let go. Closely, he observed his elder twin.

A strange expression was playing across the fire shaman's fine features. His eyes were distant, his trademark grin was gone. Per usual circumstances, that would have been bad news for everyone within ten feet radius around him; if not for the odd, misty expression that clouded his teenage face, revealing the glimmer that represented his true age.

"Did you see something we didn't?" Anna enquired coolly. If she had been just as taken aback as Yoh's team-mates earlier, she had recovered fast. She leant with her back against the wall, her arms folded – the cool indifference of this posture doing nothing to hide the sharpness in her stare.

Hao seemed to rouse himself at that. A small attempt at his old, good humour was made, although it did not radiate with any genuine amusement. "I suppose I did," he replied. Without looking at his younger brother, he took Yoh's wrists in a firm grip and pried his clenched fists from his poncho.

"Mostly, it was a fuzzy, black image, with all the stupid static around it," Horo Horo said. The blue-haired Ainu looked up at the area surrounding the Cho Senji Ryakketsu, where the startling vision had just morphed into being.

"So did I," Ren said, sighing in frustration, his spike of navy hair appearing more stiff and rebellious than usual. "It seemed like… something from Lilirara's visions, when she showed us…about the Patch."

Although he did not look at Hao, the fire shaman managed to yield a knowing smirk at those words. "Indeed," he said musingly. "From what knowledge I have gathered about human technology, I would wager a guess at us having looked at the inside of Manta's computer."

"That wasn't all it was!" Ryu shot back, turning swiftly to Hao in an almost accusatory fashion.

"Oh yes, I am almost forgetting about the most comprehensive stack of female photographs you downloaded into the poor boy's computer files." Hao's lips curled into a deeper smirk at the flush across the Elvis-styled teen, his heated face worthy of any flame produced by his Spirit of Fire.

"Regardless of Ryu's perversion," Anna said loudly across Ryu's continued protestations. "What could've triggered such a vision in the first place?"

"It wasn't even all that clear," Chocolove pointed out. "The only distinct thing I saw was….snow. Dark. And…people. And - "

"Shut up, banana comedian," Anna retorted coldly. Ignoring the slump of the dark-skinned boy's posture, she posed her question again. "Well?"

Hao met her silent demand with a cool smile of his own. "If you must know, my dear Anna," he said. "I believe Manta has returned a thousand years back into the Heian period of Japan."

"Heian?" Yoh was unable to hide the amazement from his voice. His friends, and even some of Hao's followers, registered visible surprise.

"That was the time you were born in, weren't you?" Faust questioned, the politeness of his speech undeterred by his shock at the fire shaman's revelation.

"Correct," Hao answered. He closed his eyes, forming the familiar amused arcs, as he spoke. "It would not be too astonishing, as it is, if he has already met me in my first life."

No one seemed to be able to say anything remotely intelligent about this. "Hao-sama…" Opacho looked up at her master hesitantly, uncertain of what to make of this information.

Hao smiled down at the young child beside him, but said nothing to answer her unvoiced questions.

"Manta's in danger, isn't he?" Yoh's voice cut through the room like a knife. He made no move towards his brother, only glaring at him with his arms fixed at his side.

"Yoh?" Horo Horo tried cautiously.

"I can sense it," Yoh continued. "Manta isn't safe there, and he doesn't seem to want to…come back."

"Don't glare at me so, otouto," Hao remarked reprovingly. A cold smile appeared, slow and saccharine. "I cannot help it if you dragged a young human boy into a rightfully dangerous shaman's world."

Yoh sucked in a breath at the poisonous words. With further ado, the fire shaman left the room, leaving only silence in his wake.

* * *

As he walked out of the inn into the coolness of the winter morning, Hao preoccupied himself with images far more detailed and extensive than any of what Yoh and his friends had uncovered. He recalled, with more clarity than ever, the unheard pleas from once-loyal Matamune, the eventual fate of his old friend Furin, the bastard Yorimichi and the foolish humans, and the battle with the treacherous Asakuras he had once nurtured… the battle that had eventually ended his first life.

Only now those images were blurred. Complicated. Past events that had never, and should have never, have occurred and were taking place like a hastily rewritten script.

Whatever the boy was doing in his original existence, he was tampering seriously with his memories, and the experiences that had shaped the person he was today had become severely distorted.

Away from prying eyes, Hao allowed a moment's displeasure to display itself on his face. Running a gloved hand through his mahogany hair, he started on a good long stroll for now, resolving to take a good look at his work later in the night… and find out if he couldn't stop another wretched human from blemishing his life.

_**END OF CHAPTER 24 **_

* * *

**A/N: Perhaps it's my writing getting rusty, or are some of the characters kinda…OOC… Drop me a review to tell me it's all my imagination. No, that was a joke. Constructive criticism is very much welcomed. :) Many more scenes have yet to come, and there wasn't enough leeway to add them all in this one chapter. **

**I also realize that I don't do a good enough job of developing the additional characters I've had, like Furin, and heck, even the Taos, who sort of just made a cameo appearance. Will try to take note of this as I continue with my writing. **

**Remember to review, and remember the link above!  
**


	25. Chapter 25

**Through the Ages chpt 25**

**Many thanks to those who've reviewed previously! And now…as promised…(drumroll)…may I present…**

**Chapter 25**

* * *

If anyone had to hazard a guess at the time of day, it would have been at some point in mid-afternoon. The weather, however, did not reflect that. Soon after the Lady Akiko had arrived to hold counsel with her brother, Lord Yorimichi, a snowstorm had swept up and engulfed the entire camp, and had persisted for almost three days. It made it almost impossible for the samurais to effectively move out and carry out the orders their lord had given them. Nonetheless, the silent fear that Yorimichi had somehow managed to instill in them motivated them enough to withstand any weather attack, hence leaving their lord reasonably pleased with his men's performance – so far.

Shivering with cold outside, it was with relief that the shamans retreated into the warmth of their tents. The Asakura strength, when roused, was a sight to behold, but it did no good against the power of the elements.

"Horrible weather," one Asakura muttered. He shrugged out of his coat, flicking generous amounts of snow off it at the same time.

"This'll slow down the Fujiwaras' journey here," another grumbled. "High-and-mighty as they are, they're slow enough with their grand entrances…"

"Shush, Sei-dono" a third companion scolded. His small, slanted eyes flicked around quickly, wary of any stray eavesdroppers nearby, despite the measure of protection his group's tent offered them. "If Lord Yorimichi were to hear that…"

The one called Sei snorted. "What're you worried about? He's too busy chasing after his throne; he won't bother with the likes of us just yet. And the rest of the Asakuras are still debating non-stop over Hao – don't ask me why."

Several of his fellow shamans chuckled as they settled themselves comfortably on the tatami mats, a roaring fire in the middle of their circle. They eyed their midday meals prepared in front of them, and it was with considerable relish that they started on their food.

"So," one Asakura started, chewing on a piece of fish. "How are things going with…him?"

"Just say his name, will you?" Sei retorted. "Hao's finished this time. All we have to do is wait and let him rot in his cell until the whole party arrives."

"I wouldn't be so sure, Sei-dono." This one, a younger onmyoji named Hiroshi, cautioned his elder. "We've seen displays of Hao-sama's… I mean…" he faltered as his companions shot him a collective glare. "Hao's…power. Will he go down so easily to mere humans?"

"Obviously, if we were able to restrain him so easily," one Asakura sneered. "He has weakened. He let his emotions get the better of him, and it was because of the movements of one Fujiwara, who's not even the eldest son. It's time for some new leadership."

"He's led us well enough over the years," Hiroshi argued.

"Why, Hiroshi," the same Asakura drawled, tauntingly. "Are you actually siding with that man now?"

"Of course not," Hiroshi said quickly. "I only meant… He's accumulated power through all the years he spent with us. Power he's never thought to share with us. He might still break free."

"Don't concern yourself," another of his elders scoffed. He swallowed a chunk of sticky rice with considerable enthusiasm. "Haven't you seen him in his cell? Pale as any of the ghosts we've dealt with. With any luck, he'll kill himself before the Fujiwaras get to him." A resounding snigger echoed among the several Asakuras gathered.

Yes, he had seen him, Hiroshi pondered to himself. But past the gaunt expression on the former head of the Asakuras, the younger onmyoji had managed to get a glimpse of Hao's eyes. The weariness in them had not concealed the other emotion flickering within his grey orbs, as he locked gazes with Hiroshi at one point. The memory still made him shudder, and he forced the image away from his mind.

A sigh from his many elders jolted Hiroshi back to the present conversation. "Well, at least that man is finally back where he belongs. What a rampage he caused, along with that boy of his. Imagine how much the Asakura name has been tarnished already." He shook his head, his lips curling in disdain. "And to think that old man Ishimoto is still so hung up him. We're better off following that Fujiwara brat, at least for now."

A memory of a short, blonde boy flittered across Hiroshi's mind, as he recalled, just a few weeks ago, bandaging the burns Oyamada Manta had suffered due to Hao's wrath. A strange feeling gnawed at his stomach, before he resolutely pushed it away.

These elders were right. Recent events showed that Asakura Hao's influence among the powerful Fujiwaras had ended, and he had been long overdue in granting the Asakura family a position within the royal regime that they rightfully deserved. It was time for the new to replace the old. New leaders – _them_ – who would actually be able to ensure that they were properly rewarded for their services to the courts.

Hiroshi helped himself to a generous portion of rice and ate without further comment.

* * *

CRASH.

"AIEEEEEEEEEE!"

"PATHETIC, BOY!"

The chaos ensuing in the small kitchenette was potent enough to wake the dead, as Goro and Yuki had proudly professed. If anyone had bothered to look – which no one did, by now – they would've glimpsed the litter of wooden pots and pans that had caused the resounding crash, all of it surrounding a diminutive figure, who was sitting on his behind and yelling at the top of his voice, the action making his head appear even more humongous than it already was, as compared to the rest of his body.

"I'M SHORT!" Manta roared. "I CAN'T POSSIBLY DO ANNA'S ELECTRIC CHAIR WITH ALL THESE POTS WITHOUT THEM WHACKING ME FLAT ON MY ARSE EVEN THOUGH THESE POTS AREN'T MADE OF METAL DOESN'T MEAN THEY DON'T WEIGH A TON – ACK!"

"There you go again," the Giantess growled. Her fist was extended, with the result being the boy lying flat on his back with an inflamed cheek.

Furin sighed. A fortnight had gone by, and the Giantess had insisted using the period to restart Manta's brief training schedule. She had not interfered, much to Manta's consternation, but his nerves had been on the edge ever since Hao had been captured.

In the initial period of being brought to one of the Fujiwaras' safe houses, Lady Akiko had returned from the camp whenever she could, to check on them and bring them news – or whatever news that was worthy of note. Accordingly, Akiko hadn't managed to garner much of the current state of their imprisoned and most powerful ally, but Furin had had the feeling the aristocratic lady was yielding less knowledge than she possessed. An uneasy sort of alliance had fostered between them in the two weeks that had gone past, and Lady Akiko didn't seem to show any signs of betraying them to her brother – yet.

"I don't trust her," a sullen voice piped beside Furin.

Furin sighed again. "You've been repeating that for the past fortnight, Yuki," she pointed out.

"Am I wrong?" The feminine-looking ghost scowled, not bothering to keep his voice down. There wasn't a need to, as the din in the kitchen did not appear to be subsiding any time soon. "That woman's the sister of Yorimichi! What makes you think she won't give us up to that bastard sooner or later?"

"There would hardly be any point to that, or she wouldn't have waited two weeks," his father refuted calmly. The half-human, half-dog spirit hovered lightly at his mistress' side, his arms folded thoughtfully. "I'd say she's putting us on probation first." His lips curled slightly.

Furin gave a half-smile at that, although it was gone as soon as it had come. Alone, she sipped at her tea, the tea leaves provided thoughtfully by one of Lady Akiko's guards, upon his lady's orders. The shrine maiden swept every new batch for poison, and so far, she had no cause to mete out her wrath.

"It's been two weeks," Yuki snapped. "And she's not telling us everything, and expects to just sit here and wait while Hao-sama's still in their hands!"

"Calm down," Goro said sharply. "We haven't formulated a plan solid enough to go charging into the rescue like that. And his sentence isn't due yet, not with this snowstorm still raging. The other Fujiwaras won't be here so soon." Even as he said it, he flicked a glance at the wooden walls of the spacious house, and sighed as the wind continued to howl relentlessly outside.

Despite the gloomy, almost frightening weather outside, all of them were secretly glad of the storm that had impeded the journey of the Fujiwaras from their estate to the camp, a journey that would mark Hao's death upon its completion. The prospect of her longtime friend's impending execution sent a flame up her throat, but she pushed it down with long years of control and discipline.

Now, however, father and son didn't appear relieved at all. Too pent-up in their emotions, Goro and Yuki didn't notice their mistress' brief agitation. "And how long do we expect this storm to last?" Yuki snapped.

"Perhaps you have an alternative?" Goro shot back, scathingly. The customary goofiness had disappeared, replaced with unmistakeable irritation. "Perhaps you think we would be a match against not just hundreds of men from other noble families, but against the entire Asakura family?"

"So you'll sit here where it's safe," Yuki said.

His father started towards his son, his hand half-raised.

Furin set her teacup down, with a very perceptible thud.

Her spirits whirled around to look at her. Yuki had on a half-frightened, half-angry look, while Goro halted mid-way, fire still burning in his eyes.

"If you have time to be arguing here," Furin said, very slowly, very calmly. "Perhaps you would be kind enough to make yourselves useful and check on the progress of the Fujiwaras again."

She rose from her seat, noting with satisfaction at the shocked looks her spirits sent her. She turned to look at the doorway to the kitchen, only to find her bulky mother and Manta staring at her.

Strange.

She hadn't heard them stop their argument.

Furin turned around and disappeared up the stairs.

* * *

Akiko sat alone in the tent prepared for her, no less luxurious than her brother's, a strange and almost unbearable feeling of dreadful anticipation welling up in her. For two weeks, she had stayed in the camp, while leaving Manta and the others to hide in one of the Fujiwara family's safe houses, erected in remote places all over Japan. It was an ideal hiding spot – no one, not even her cleverer siblings, would've suspected an enemy to hide in their private territories without valid permission. Privately, Akiko had always considered the mentality as one of the typical examples on the arrogance of nobility, but no doubt it had worked well in her favour this time.

…Or so she liked to think. Akiko sighed. A strong half of her kept wondering if protecting the people responsible for murder and possibly destructive, malevolent dark magic would come to backfire upon her soon. Which was why, despite attempting to find out more of Asakura Hao's state and keeping a close watch on the camp's proceedings, she had not trusted them – especially the shrine maiden – enough to tell them more of her activities.

Akiko sighed again. Then again… she had found out little in her time here so far. Her brother wasn't showing much of himself, other than periodic (and short) visits to ensure her welfare as she waited for the storm to pass and for the rest of her family to come. Yorimichi had assured her (with a rueful smirk on his face) that he would figure a way to explain her disappearance to their father, but the thought of her father's outburst didn't matter to her very much now.

She flicked a glance outside, trying to make out the silhouettes standing beyond the fabric of her tent. The flaps were drawn tight, yet a shiver wracked through her nonetheless, as the fierce, icy wind of the snowstorm raged outside. It was almost impossible to make out sounds of anything other than the wind's howl. A stab of pity flooded through her when she thought of the guards stationed outside her tent, enduring the snowstorm.

Pursing her lips, she thought hard. There was no way the guards would be willing to let her out in this storm. What could she do to offer a distraction?

For a moment, the fleeting, chilling thought crossed her mind that Yorimichi had stationed guards "for her protection" wherever she went within camp just to ensure she didn't start poking her nose in places she had no business in. It was difficult enough as it was to get away from the camp, unopposed, to make her visits to the Fujiwaras' safe house.

They had never spoken about the letter ever since the day she showed it to him; only that she knew the copy was still with him. She had not dared ask him to return it to her.

Shaking her head, the aristocratic woman pushed those unwanted fears away. She needed to focus.

Slowly, hindered by the weight of her robes, she stood up and walked over to the entrance, fixing a thick winter coat over herself as she did so.

"I wish for a bath," she stated clearly.

A startled silence greeted her, apart from the roaring wind, followed by the inevitable stutters. "Um…my lady…" one of the guards coughed. "Forgive us, but there is a snowstorm going out here…"

"I can see that," Akiko snapped, a thrill of genuine irritation shooting up her spine. "And it has been so for the past two weeks." She paused. "Or would you prefer answering to my brother when he next pays me a visit?"

"Uh – no – " The guards sputtered, clearly torn between their duties or to face accusations of disregarding precious Fujiwara daughter's welfare. Akiko knew that unreasonable aristocratic children would always have an edge over those of lower stations, regardless of the situation. If she really kicked up a fuss and made accusations against them of neglect, the guards would face punishment just so to appease her.

That was simply one of the advantages of being born into nobility.

As the guards murmured their assent and scampered away, Akiko felt a stab of slight guilt, for pulling the same trick as those insolent children – especially Leiko – would have done. No doubt her guards obeyed out of fear she would embellish the tale of their mistreatment to her brother.

Pulling the flaps back, she looked outside cautiously, and was almost tempted to retreat back. The snow was blowing so viciously in the wind that each blow on her face felt like the stings of small slaps. She could hardly make out her surroundings – but at the same time, it meant there was a lower chance of her being spotted.

Carefully, against the buffeting wind, she picked her way across, praying not to bump into any of the soldiers still milling about, and soon came to a forest path that sloped downward.

The number of enclosed caves surrounding the camp area served useful as temporary prisons, she reflected. Yorimichi had chosen the camp location well. As she ventured deeper, there was temporary relief to be away from the slaps of damp snow on her face, and the deafening roar of the wind, but it didn't last. She shivered harder than she had outside, wrapping her winter coat more tightly around her. The deep, underground cave seemed to reek of a chill that wasn't entirely due to the weather alone.

The ground soon leveled out, and Akiko came face-to-face with a man bound in chains and rosary beads.

The man looked up, and Akiko felt her breath catch. Asakura Hao, once elegant and regal as any noble, was now sickeningly pale and gaunt. His formerly sleek, long hair now looked rough and tangled, hanging haphazardly in front of his face, which appeared to have aged some ten years or so.

But what were most frightening were his eyes. Haunted, lifeless, and yet they seemed to be burn with the glitter that could only belong to madmen.

Then he spoke, and unbiddingly, Akiko felt herself flinch at his first syllable.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, my lady?" he said softly.

Akiko swallowed. She had expected his voice to sound the same as the rest of him, hoarse and beaten down, but it was still the voice from the old days; smooth and almost melodic in its intonation.

Some of her fear, confusion and surprise must've showed on her face, because the onmyoji's lips turned up at the corners, in an expression that bore no resemblance to a smile. "I…" she faltered. "I wish to hear your side of the story."

Something like surprise could've flashed across his worn face, before it disappeared and was replaced by a kind of sardonic amusement. "Do you now?" he murmured. "Well then, Akiko-sama –" The honorific drawled out mockingly from his tongue, sending another sliver of fear up the aristocrat's spine. "What is it do you want to hear?"

"I – "

"That I didn't burn all the filthy cowards to death? That I didn't destroy the lapdog's throat, leaving him a mute for the rest of his life? Or that I, as is the most famous accusation against me, am not a demon in disguise at all?" His mouth turned up further, renewing itself in its cruelty.

Akiko just stared at him.

His voice dropped an octave lower. "Get out."

She didn't move, frozen to the spot.

His head jerked up, his chains rattling at the sudden movement. Hao's eyes flared brighter with the rages of insanity, and in spite of the knowledge that he was powerless, Akiko couldn't stop that instinctive urge to run, to get away from this man before he hurt her badly.

She hadn't acknowledged it moments ago, but she thought she knew the reason why there were no guards, Asakura or no, stationed near his prison.

"Don't make me repeat myself," he hissed. "Get out."

Akiko straightened. "No," she said.

The silence that followed was the most terrifying she had ever endured. But with a will she had never known she possessed, she forced herself to speak, to hide the fear that had just increased tenfold.

"I am not your enemy," she said quietly.

Hao's eyes narrowed, his intimidating gaze increasing in intensity as he looked at her unblinkingly.

"You wish to know the true reason why I am here," Akiko said. _For heavens' sake, keep your voice steady. _ "Have you not wondered about the fates of your companions?"

His eyes widened slightly. Akiko now felt as if her soul had been laid bare before him, so intense was his gaze upon her. It wasn't a reassuring concept at all, but for a moment, she thought she saw the menace in his expression die down a little, at the mention of his allies.

"I see…" His voice was no louder than a whisper. "So they have sought refuge with you."

The young woman twitched, and then decided against asking. "They're worried about you," she added.

Hao continued to stare at her. She had to soon look away, unable to bear the gaze that bore like gimlets into her.

His mirthless laughter began to ring throughout the room, and her stomach twisted itself into even tighter knots.

Akiko swallowed, as she stared, wide-eyed, at the prisoner, who was laughing as if there was no tomorrow. Gentle as Hao used to appear, from her youthful days, the onmyoji actually very seldom laughed. Now, his chortles were wild, uncontrolled….frightening. She couldn't hide her trembling now, so great was her trepidation toward complete turnabout in the Asakura's personality.

Abruptly, his laughter died. Her heart stopped, as she ended up captured in his gaze. "Are they?" he said. "Are they, perhaps, mourning the loss of their greatest protector against your family? Or are they, perhaps, worried about ending up the same way as I now?" She flinched at the way his words seem to hit her, like a physical weapon.

He paused for a while, perhaps to savour the fear on the young aristocrat's face. "I do not quite understand what exactly you hope to gain by coming here, my lady, but I will not deny my actions, unlike how your brethren seem so fond of doing. I have killed many, and for reasons that your kind will never understand. And if I were you – " His lips parted, wide enough to show teeth. "I'd beware of the people you call family. Treachery seems to be a particular habit among your clan – and mine own, I suppose." His mockery of a smile vanished, replaced by a rather blank look, which was somehow more frightening than the displays of ruthless amusement.

Akiko licked her lips. "Such cynicism," she whispered. "Especially for one who still has friends. Except that you don't see that, do you?"

Several excruciating moments ticked by. She remained rooted to the spot, feeling ready to pass out from suffocation of nerves right there and then.

"Get out," Hao said quietly.

She wasted no time doing so.

* * *

For the first time in two weeks, Manta was out.

He rubbed his jaw gingerly, mutely cursing the bulky Giantess, now hovering over him like a thuggish threat. A fortnight of constant training had left him bruised and aching and perpetually grumpy, especially given the confinement they had experienced. Their nerves were fraying at the end, due to the unfortunate combination of factors like the gloomy weather and the feeling of being trapped – while the loss of their companion lingered silently over them.

So he had stood up, announced that he had had enough, and proceeded to knock out Akiko's guards with a frying pan. Training had certainly helped his sneak attacks.

On the way out, Manta had made certain he left a note, explaining their reasons, and left it on one of the unconscious guards they had dragged into the house, for Akiko to see if she returned soon. It had been worth it, to come out even in the midst of a snowstorm, but he couldn't help but feel a slightly guilty when he laid eyes on the men sprawled out on the kitchen floor. They had been just doing their jobs, even if they did have severe sticks up their….

Manta shook his head, willing his mind not to venture towards that area. He shivered, as the icy wind pierced his skin. He tightened his thick scarf around him, wrapping it around his face and exposing only his eyes.

"Which way was it to the village again?" he shouted over the howl of the wind.

"That-a-away," Yuki piped up, pointing vaguely. Only he and his father were unaffected by the storm blustering around them.

He nodded, feeling as if he would be blown away at any moment. The Giantess had refused to carry him, saying if he couldn't walk on his own, he might as well "chop those useless legs off". Scowling, Manta tightened his hold on Matamune, who was snuggled in his arms.

Pushing through against a wind that didn't seem to want to relent, actually falling back on his rear end several times when his legs couldn't support him, and the lack of vision caused by the heavy snow almost made Manta reconsider the wisdom of setting out. But at last, at long last, they stumbled across a landscape that consisted of short, brown houses arranged neatly in an almost grid-like pattern.

"Finally," Goro wheezed, simply for dramatic effect. He grinned when he saw his companions scowl at him.

Manta looked over the top of the hill, surveying the village below him, which was almost smothered in snow. He could barely make it out, but he was thankful – the snow would effectively obscure them from vision, making it that much harder for anyone who were trying to capture them.

"We better move to the side first," Manta shouted. He pointed at the side, when the hill sloped gentler into the village area, near the back, where it seemed less likely for them to be noticed than if they were to stride up to the village up front, in full view.

He heard the Giantess snort behind him, but they complied. The group hurried over and slid down the slope, each silently cursing as their feet sank in the snow with every step, hindering their movements and throwing them off-balance.

Being the smallest person in the group, Manta wordlessly volunteered himself, darting out from behind a small hut to check if the coast was clear. Once he was certain that there would be no one outside noticing, he motioned to the rest of his group, and steadily, cautiously, they inched forward.

From what they could see, soldiers were patrolling the village. They swaggered up and down the street, barking out orders, interrogating several local village people. The women who were still doing their shopping did so hurriedly, avoiding gazes with their heads bowed. No one seemed to want to stop and talk, especially not with samurais patrolling the area, with their swords at their side.

Suddenly, there was the familiar, muffled sound of hooves. The group swiveled around in their dark corner, trying to gain a good view of the man who rode up to the village's centre, carrying with him an aura of authority and importance, emphasized by his place on top of a huge, black horse.

"Villagers!" he boomed, clearly audible even over the sound of the wind. "Our search for the demon's friends still continues. The Imperial Court, and especially by word of esteemed Lord Yorimichi, continues their message for all of you – to step forth if you bear any news regarding these missing foes."

More villagers were now streaming out of their huts, listening avidly to the messenger, heaving their coats around themselves as the snow and wind blew. "Furthermore," the messenger said. "The noble members of the Fujiwara family have sent word. They will reach within a week's time."

Manta had to stifle a gasp, and behind him, the felt the rest of his companions shift. The villagers, previously silent, broke out into audible murmurs of anticipation.

"You should all know by now what this means. The former onmyoji, Asakura Hao – " (Manta's heart gave a leap) " – has confessed to his crimes, including the murder of five residents in the Fujiwara house, and several others as he and his allies tried to resist arrest. For this, and the practice of dark magic, he will be given a public execution once the Fujiwara family has arrived. You will be given word again of the official date. You will witness the punishment of the Court against those who deem it worthwhile to disrupt the peace of this era!"

Manta felt Matamune tremble in his arms. He stood rooted in position, telling himself that dashing forward and knocking the man off his high horse (literally) was simply stupid and reckless.

"This brings us to the third announcement," the man continued to boom. "All young, healthy men in this village, and other villages in Japan, will be called up for compulsory conscription tomorrow. And this includes former members of any of the Japanese armies!"

There was a collective sound of shock or outrage, Manta couldn't really tell. The barks from the other surrounding soldiers made the villagers subside soon enough.

"While Asakura Hao has been apprehended, his companions have not. After he has been dealt with, a full-scale search will be launched for his missing allies, and in addition – " He paused, looking around at the silent commoners " – all who have been suspected of dealing with dark magic and evil witchcraft. It has been decided that, to deal with these forces, each noble family will pool their armies together to form a common unit, which all young men will have to sign up for. But do not worry yourselves about your fields and businesses. Each man will be assigned specific shifts, and you will be allowed to return to your families on your free days. You will be told soon when registration will start. That will be all!"

But as the messenger turned to leave, an outburst interrupted him. A young man dashed forward, his face filled with a sort of fiery determination. "This is insane! What sort of treatment are you giving to the man? Hao-sama has always helped us!"

"No!" an elderly woman cried out, trying to force the young man back into the startled crowd, but he refused to obey.

"He's travelled so far and wide to help us get rid of the evil you accuse him of now! What – " The bold young man didn't get any further as he was struck down by several nearby soldiers.

"Are you defying the orders of the Imperial Court?" the messenger thundered, his voice rising haughtily. "Just a mere commoner!"

"Hao-sama _has _helped us! And helped the Court more than any other!" another voice cried out, this time belonging to a woman's.

Soon, she too, was pinned by soldiers. As the two of them struggled, the messenger seemed to sense the growing unease and doubt among the crowd. At this, his eyes flashed.

"You are all deluded," he growled. "The man you knew never existed. A human in disguise – probably like that of his mother, which all of you probably don't know about!"

Breathing hard, he cast disdainful looks upon the captured people. "They seem to favour that demon," he sneered. "Bring them to camp! We will interrogate them thoroughly there, and see if their tongues don't loosen!"

"No!" Several cries from their families went up, as they tried to make their way towards the young man and woman, but they were held back by other soldiers. The rest of the crowd watched silently, terrified by the whole scenario.

"Torture is barbaric! The Court cannot allow this! Not in Japan!" the elderly woman cried.

"Things change," the messenger said harshly. "And with the demons still loose and endangering every single living thing near them, all of you would be utter fools to defend them unless you side with them! Now take them away!" He barked towards the soldiers. "We'll bring them before Lord Yorimichi, and get out of this blasted weather! The Court has been far too lax in this peaceful age, and that's what severe action has to come in for!"

"INCLUDING ROUNDING UP INNOCENT PEOPLE, EH?"

Not a single soul could have expected this - a small human munchkin plundering its way through the snow and launching itself at the soldiers holding the girl, waving around a frying pan as he proceeded to knock them out in similar style, roaring his lungs out as he did it.

"W-what is t-this…?" the messenger stuttered.

"Manta, you idiot!" a talking cat roared, as he launched forward as well, materializing a ghostly pipe in his hand and promptly, freed the man.

"It's THEM!" another soldier shouted in shock. "The ones with Hao!"

Furin, who had up till now, been silent for the whole excursion, shook her head in a mixture of disbelief and almost wry amusement. "Those idiots," she breathed, as she, her mother and her two handy spirits stepped out into full view.

The crowd automatically parted, steering clear from them, choked cries emitting from them as they stared, wide-eyed, at the newcomers.

"WHAT ARE YOU FOOLS WAITING FOR?" the messenger bellowed. "ARREST THEM!"

_And it just gets better, _Furin thought, as she readied herself by the coming onslaught of samurais.

_**END OF CHAPTER 25**_

* * *

**Author's Note: Hm, based on the previous review count, it seems that this story is losing the fire… D: Any supporters still out there? **

**Do review and tell me what you think! It's going to be my encouragement and juice while I embark on scary university life. **


	26. Chapter 26

**Through the Ages chpt 26 **

**I'm not sure how many of you have experienced this, but my college teachers used to tell me that college would be the worst part of the education life. University though, would mean that everything would be more or less all right for us, that we could finally enjoy ourselves while studying. So the mantra was: "Work hard, work even harder at college, and it'll be all worth it once you make it in to the university." **

**Well, now that I AM in university, I firmly state here, at this hour, that the above is nothing but a load of bull. **

**Happy New Year and hope all of you had a great Christmas! After deserting the fic for half a year because of university and spending most of my December overseas, I give you….Chapter 26. **

* * *

_**Disclaimer:** For the first time in his life(lives?), Hao was at a loss for words at the sight before him. He decided to raise an eyebrow._

"_What are you doing, Yoh?"_

_The boy in front of him was startled and dropped the said cat in his arms. Brown eyes met brown eyes, an identical visage of each other, and time froze for a few seconds while the cat made its way to the open window. _

"_Erm. Well. I was just...I mean…"_

"_Might you be trying to claim that Shaman King is owned by Frostedheavens again?" The voice was deceptively light. _

"_Er. No. Of course not," Yoh huffed in indignity. "I was… I was bringing Matamune to the toilet."_

"_Of course." Hao's eyes sharpened. "Then say it again."_

"_Huh?"_

"_Frostedheavens does not own Shaman King."_

"_Fine!" Yoh took a deep breath. "Frostedheavens does not owe Shaman King!"_

"_Own, brother dearest."_

"_Fine! Frostedheavens does not own Shaman King!"_

* * *

**Just to refresh your memories, I'd like to disclaim this disclaimer in the sense that it was not written by me, but by my ever-imaginative beta, Ao Yuki. **

* * *

Manta screamed.

He couldn't help it. The crowd of men towered over him; their swords raised high above his tiny form, while full-throated war cries escaped from them. Even so, his terrified shriek was audible. Manta scarpered aside, his small frame blessing him with quick escape as the men brought their weapons down upon nothing but snowy ground.

Distantly, Manta heard Furin calling Goro and Yuki, and the two spirits disappeared into her own double-edged weapon, now fully materialized in her hands. He felt a blast of spiritual power then, with enough impact to send him scrambling a few feet back. The soldiers yelled with fear, as the whole lot of themwere thrown high from the ground.

"MANTA!" The roar of the Giantess bellowed through the raging snowstorm, addressing him by name for the first time.

On cue, Manta launched himself forward as sharp metal descended from behind, cutting through the ground on which he had been at moments earlier. Frantically, he grabbed some snow and hurled it into the soldier's face. Sputtering, the soldier's expression twisted in anger, his frustration mounting with the buffeting winds of the snowstorm, blurring his vision and misdirecting his aim.

Manta dodged another blow, and with a mighty roar of his own, clung on to the soldier's forearm in a trademark move.

"YOU MIDGET! GET OFF ME!" the soldier yelled, trying to shake the pest off.

Not entirely sure later how he had achieved it, Manta managed to hit the back of the man's head with his frying pan in the midst of the soldier's struggles, with all his might. The soldier's eyes rolled upwards as he staggered for a moment, and fell in a dead faint.

"They call me…" Manta wheezed, his short breaths stolen from the strong gusts whirling around him. "_MR._ MIDGET, YOU MORON!"

Grimly and silently, Manta thanked the Giantess for the two weeks of hellish training. The short period could only go so far in making any significant improvement in his stamina, but his mind seemed more alert, his moves faster, especially with the adrenaline and fear pumping through him now. Better yet, his body seemed to have recalled the basic techniques he managed to learn and imitate, long ago, from his school's Judo Club.

It wouldn't last – the men were stronger, more experienced and a lot less likely than he was to be blown away if the storm got any bigger. And unless it was just his miniature size speaking, they were hopelessly outnumbered. All he could count on was the element of surprise his small form would hopefully give, until the adrenaline, he knew, died out, and fatigue started to set in.

As several metallic clashes sounded above him, he figured he didn't have much of a choice till then. Manta readied his frying pan, and yelled only one thing.

"WAAAAARRRRRRRRRR!"

* * *

The noise was tremendous by now. Complete mayhem was spread across the village. The villagers' screams mingled with the winds' howls, as many attempted to flee the scene of violence, or retreat into the safety of their houses. Samurais swore and cursed as they attempted to battle both the storm and the fugitives – and vice-versa.

The mighty cry of the Giantess could still be heard, and Furin saw her mother sweep a gigantic fist around, knocking back several men. Matamune was nearby, and he jumped above the crowd of men, sending blasts of familiar-feeling Furyoku, from the bear's claw necklace that had been a gift, years ago, from his imprisoned master…

Manta, though, was nowhere to be seen. Unsurprising, given his unnatural height – but while Furin thought she could hear him screaming at the top of his impressive lungs from time to time, there was no sign of him near her.

She gritted her teeth as she parried blow after blow by furious, determined samurais. Summoning her spirits – or as Manta had shared with her before, to form an "Oversoul" – was probably unnecessary. As regular people, they did not pose much of a threat towards a powerful shaman as her – if only she had not cared about her principles as a shrine maiden. Her duties sought to help, not kill, her fellow human beings. Her hesitance against Yorimichi's man, Seo, had been purely for this reason, rather than an actual inability to harm humans.

Snarling, the shrine maiden locked blades with a particularly muscular samurai, who glared at her. Most unfortunately, the tell-tale insignia on the hilt of the samurai's sword informed her that they hailed from the Taira clan – the characteristic butterfly emblem, the _Ageha-cho_.

From her knowledge, men from the noble samurai clan were not to be taken lightly.

"Furin-sama," the samurai growled, his tone reflecting none of the respect associated with the honorable suffix. "How low you've fallen."

Furin narrowed her eyes. Aware of the movements behind her, she twisted her weapon upwards, pushing the samurai back, and swept out underneath to avoid the clang of metal from above her. Three more men joined in the fray, and another furry of blows was exchanged. The men's practiced, ruthless moves left no chance for her to use non-lethal Furyoku, and Furin found herself backing up with each assault.

"You were respected!" the samurai shouted, rage evident in his eyes. "As a fighter! As a noble, in OUR clan!"

"Those days are long gone," she said, her words as icy as the storm that continued to howl. She extended her weapon's range, and the hidden blades between the primary ones at each end ejected with a sharp, scraping sound. The soldiers' eyes widened, and she took advantage of their moment of surprise to push them back with another blast of faster, stronger spiritual energy.

Greater yells were heard in the distance, and horses' loud, agitated neighs. Alarmed, Furin whipped around. Standing on top the slope of the village, she saw more men, more horses, and more reinforcements that had obviously been called from a nearby location.

_Damn. _

"You don't have anywhere to run!" the muscular samurai shouted. "More from the Taira family and other clans are nearby! Armies from each noble house have allied together for the first time, as YOUR enemy!" He staggered to his feet, gasping and wet, still reeling from the force of the shrine maiden's power. The pain didn't do anything to soften the ferocity in his gaze, and at any other time, Furin might have been impressed with the samurai's – and the rest of his allies' – fighting spirit.

Another fallen samurai sneered at her. "If that's a demon's weapon you've got in your hand, Furin-_sama_," he spat out the suffix. "Why haven't you shown more of its power yet?"

A third soldier turned wide, disbelieving eyes upon his comrade. "OI!" he barked.

"That can't be all," the samurai blustered on, having evidently lost reason in his unfathomable anger. "Do you think you'll be given mercy if you go easy on us? Your betrayal doesn't deserve just that!"

"Fool," Furin snarled. "I haven't been holding back this power just for you."

_If Yorimichi is as wily as the fox he is… then…_

Her spiritual senses proved her right. A malignant tingle up her spine warned her of the attacking Furyoku behind her.

Furin whirled around, blocking the attacks of spiritual powers with her weapon. As if in answer, Goro and Yuki's auras enveloped the elongated weapon more tightly, raring for battle.

"I thought you would show up," Furin said, as three onmyoji faced her. "Asakuras."

* * *

The two-tailed_ nekomata_ raced towards the shrine maiden when he felt the familiar, threatening auras surround the area.

With a hiss, Matamune jumped onto an oncoming Taira soldier and hit his shoulder with his spiritually formed pipe, shaped from his master's Furyoku still embedded in the bear claw's necklace. The soldier grunted in pain and fell, and Matamune paid no more attention to him.

"Furin-sama!" he shouted. "More of the Asakuras are heading this way!"

Through the billowing gusts of snow, Matamune saw Furin give a stiff nod. Having lived a majority of his life with the Asakuras, the feeling of Furyoku, of raw _power_, coming in their direction, was unmistakable.

More yells came from the soldiers nearby, having received the end of another of the Giantess' fists, but Matamune ignored them. He was immediately engaged by another few men, and to his consternation, more of the cavalry had arrived. Lord Yorimichi had obviously taken precautions – even with Furin's and his shamanic abilities, with the Giantess' overwhelming strength, the number of reinforcements would soon overcome even them.

And the Asakuras that were coming. That in itself, turned a tough situation into an almost impossible one.

"We'd better – " Matamune was interrupted by another blow. He swung his pipe across his attacker's face, and swiped fully sharpened feline claws across another, feeling an almost sinful satisfaction at the man's howls. Even as a Goryoushin, his predatory instincts as a feline animal remained buried deep within him.

"Split up!" he finished.

"Agreed!" Furin shouted back. She held off a powerful force of Furyoku by an Asakura onmyoji, her weapon blades twanging with the impact. "Where's Manta?"

Matamune looked around desperately. The snowstorm, the yelling, and what seemed to be hundreds of bodies milling around made it impossible to see the diminutive boy. The roar of the wind was picking up, whipping itself into a near gale, as if in response to the building violence in the small village. The cat could not hear Manta's yells as he had earlier, and he prayed that the boy had not gotten killed in the confusion.

Suddenly, the familiar figure appeared. Somehow, Manta had managed to get on top a soldier's head, and was furiously pulling at the man's hair. Swearing loudly, the man made to grab hold of the pesky boy, but Manta shoved the man's helmet, which had come loose, over his face. Startled, the man fumbled, and Manta brought his pan down upon the soldier's head.

Any temporary amusement at this was lost when Matamune saw another samurai rush towards Manta with a roar. Manta shrieked, and jumped off the soldier's head in the nick of time – but the sharp metal pierced the fallen samurai in the stomach. The samurai jerked, but otherwise made no sound that he could hear as he died.

Matamune stared at the dead samurai, lying in a pool of his own blood, at the hands of his own comrade. He could imagine the look of horror on Manta's face, but there was no time for regret.

"Manta!" Matamune shouted. The boy stood, frozen, nearly waist-deep in snow. Sooner or later, he wouldn't be able to move fast enough to evade attacks. "We have to split up! Come with – "

An explosion went off.

Five more Asakuras had appeared. Their power had sent the shrine maiden flying back, and she hit the snowy ground with a gasp of pain. She leant over to her side and coughed, attempting to draw breath, until rosary beads wrapped themselves around her, rendering her weapon useless. Furin struggled violently, but even her formidable spiritual powers could not stand alone against so many of the Asakura family.

"FURIN!" her mother roared in the distance. She made to rush to her daughter's aid, her expression furious.

The arrows struck, and this time, their aim was true.

The Giantess' eyes widened, and she slowed to a stumble. She sank to her knees, mouth gaping as she seemed to struggle to say something. Her heavy body slammed to the ground, face-first, and her back revealed arrows wedged tightly at the middle.

"MOTHER!" None of the group had ever heard Furin scream like that, piercing and chilling in its horror.

"No – " Manta gasped.

"YOU BASTARDS!" Goro's dog-like voice took on a terrifying, animalistic growl, as he screamed at the row of soldiers before them - all armed with bows and arrows.

"FATHER!" Yuki's voice cried out.

"Ugghh—!" Taking swift advantage of the spirits' exit from Furin's weapon, the Asakuras held out small, mortuary tablets that pulled in the ghosts as if containing a black hole, effectively trapping them.

Dazedly, Manta stumbled back, but not before hearing furious hisses and snarls near him. Similar rosary beads had appeared around the small _nekomata_, as several Asakuras stood above Matamune, chanting dispassionately a mantra that Manta found vaguely familiar.

"Man - ta – " Matamune panted. "Get – _out _–"

Several men advanced upon the petrified boy, but stopped abruptly. Suddenly, a warm light engulfed them – and Manta suddenly felt a ludicrous sensation of being… _protected, _and embraced, as if that from a mother…

Tears filled Manta's eyes, and without thinking at all, he answered the unheard pleas. As the light continued to shine, as the surrounding noise died around him, he dashed away, losing himself completely within the howling storm.

* * *

"Your highnesses, please!" A young servant, a boy no more than 15 years of age, rushed into the quivering tent. "We received a message earlier, from Yorimichi-sama's camp! Most of Asakura Hao's allies have been defeated, after engaging some of the noble Taira soldiers at a nearby village!"

Renewed gasps swept through the large tent, along with some laughter. The members of the Fujiwara family knelt seiza at their formal positions, unconsciously upholding some semblance of propriety even in the haphazard conditions. It was a large group – some distant relatives of the family and officials from the other three noble families had come on the harsh journey.

_Nothing quite like the fascination of human tragedy, _the Lady Murasaki thought wryly to herself. She did not join in the excited chattering of her siblings and elders, and sipped her hot tea.

"Murasaki-san," an old man beside her murmured. "What do you - ?"

Murasaki set her cup down and looked at him.

Taking her point, the old man – a member of the Tachibana clan - merely grunted and said no more.

Murasaki turned and faced the front again, her expression remote. The Tachibana, perhaps, were more eager than most to topple the Fujiwara influence. Many of the Tachibanas bore an age-old grudge against the Fujiwara family for robbing them of their former glory within the court in Heian-kyo. Now, while they still held on to a considerable share of power through their prestigious ranks outside the capital, their influence was still a far cry from that of the old days.

Still, news of the latest captures was most pleasing. However, the young messenger boy looked as if he had more to say.

"What else is there?" her father's deep voice rumbled, from the far end of the tent.

"Hai," the boy said nervously. "It seems that – that all were dealt with – except for the Manta boy."

"He escaped?" Michinaga demanded. Around him, mutterings ensued again, this time in disbelief.

The boy fidgeted. "Yes, Michinaga-sama. They said that they could not find the boy because of the snowstorm, when he ran away. They are also saying that if they want any luck in finding him, they'll need the storm to die down first, because he's….he's, well, small." The boy finished his message rather lamely.

Michinaga let out a short breath. "Father," one of the Fujiwara sons spoke. He was a boyish, rather short man himself, despite him being the eldest son. "I am sure the boy will not pose much of a threat, surely? If the reports are true, then we have subdued all of those with demonic power…"

"The boy is a loose end," Michinaga snapped. "We have no idea what their powers truly are, those demons. If Oyamada Manta joins with more demons roaming around, we will only encounter far worse dangers, as your brother has warned us."

The first Fujiwara son fell silent, but Murasaki didn't miss the resentful gleam in her brother's eyes. A corner of her red lips turned up, but she paid no heed to him and turned towards the man sitting on the other side of her.

Royalty never often sat with even the famed Fujiwara family. But the hurried journey and terrible weather made it impossible to derive the desired facilities, leaving left Prince Ichijo with little choice. Not that the prince seemed to care – he appeared as well-groomed and handsome as ever, but the weariness in his eyes was evident for anyone who cared to look closer.

"Prince Ichijo," Murasaki spoke softly.

The young prince blinked, jolted from a reverie. "Yes, Lady Murasaki?"

"It is imprudent of me, perhaps, but… You should eat." Both pairs of eyes were drawn to the untouched array of food prepared before Ichijo. "You appear to need more sustenance that you have been consuming for the past weeks."

Prince Ichijo smiled wanly, and unwittingly, Murasaki reflected on how different the prince was from many other ministers she knew . Despite, technically, holding the most power, the prince was more polite and soft-spoken than many, although he was still by no means deferential.

"Your concern is appreciated, Lady Murasaki," he replied, in a tone vaguely reminiscent of a willow tree. But he made no move to touch the food.

"My sister will be all right," Murasaki said. She kept the sneer well out of her voice. "She contacts Yorimichi regularly, and is putting up at one of our secure safe houses."

"I am well aware," Ichijo answered. "She does not appear to think too much of me, however. I must say I was shocked when I heard about her leaving home first without telling anyone else."

"As were we all." Lady Murasaki had to admit; even she had been taken aback when the message came from Yorimichi's camp, regarding Akiko. She never thought the gentle, meek woman would have the nerve to find her way to Yorimichi's camp in the middle of night, for reasons still left rather unclear. Yorimichi's message had not said much, but both siblings had come to a silent agreement not to send each other too many messages when they were so far apart now – there was a high risk of the letters being intercepted.

"She can be rather headstrong at certain times," Murasaki continued mildly. She smiled, injecting fake warmth into the gesture. "I am sure she will explain herself fully to us when we arrive, and especially to you."

Prince Ichijo said nothing in reply, but inclined his head and offered her a small, grateful smile. Murasaki said no more, sensing his unwillingness to speak further, although she had no personal concern about it.

Marriage among the noble houses was almost always done for political reasons. There was no particular need to employ female charms to receive Prince Ichijo's favour, although neither was there any harm in making him feeling a little more… warmly towards her. If Yorimichi and she played the game right, Prince Ichijo would be her husband before long, no matter what emotional issues he had. Murasaki felt satisfaction welling – seduction had always been a tactic she somewhat despised, preferring to use more intellectual means of obtaining her desires.

This time, she caught the old Tachibana official's eye and gave a very slight nod. The official smiled – it was the lady Murasaki's way of telling him there would be no need for any major changes to plan.

Everything was set. The support of the rival ministers was well secure for now, and all that remained was to accelerate plans to overthrow her father – if things went well, perhaps he would be ousted even before Asakura Hao's execution. Family ties meant nothing to her – the political games and webs of deception among the noble families had opened her eyes to the reality of it all.

Just because her siblings pretended not to see it didn't mean she would suffer the same foolishness.

* * *

Sharp, painful gasps escaped the lone boy wading through the pile of snow, his small frame almost engulfed by the thick white layers. The earlier adrenaline rush was gone, replaced by fatigue and an inconsolable despair.

Manta stumbled blindly, not knowing if he was even moving in the right direction, and not even caring. He felt as if something vicious had torn out his stomach, leaving behind only an unbearable emptiness.

The Giantess…dead… the shock of it had still not left him. He had never accorded her much of a personal interest, he realized, had never bothered to understand the bulky woman… had never seen anything past the terrifying demon trainer he had regarded her as.

As for the rest… the very thought of Furin, Matamune, Goro and Yuki falling into Yorimichi's hands made his insides burn. All of them had had power. Power as shamans, that had protected the entire group…protected _him_. And they were all gone.

_I ran away, _he thought. The horror of his guilt writhed in him, raising bile in his throat. It mattered not now what the strange light blocking the soldiers' path had been; only that he had fled when he realized that the rest of his allies had been defeated.

_Coward._

He tripped and fell face-first into the snow, overcome with exhaustion. What little strength he had left seemed to have deserted him, leaving him incapable of summoning the energy to even lift a finger. The extraordinary, warm glow that had surrounded him earlier on had disappeared, leaving only the cold of the wet snow and roaring wind. Dully, Manta wondered how long it would take for the snow to smother him completely.

He never heard the distant shouts, nor felt the warm hands that lifted him out of snow, as he sank into blissful oblivion.

* * *

"_NO!" Keiko's screams cut through the raucous jeers of men. _

"_Don't look at him in the eye, or he'll kill you!" _

"_He's a demon with a human face!" _

"_Devil's child, devil's child, why are you here with us? Go away, burn in hell!" The children around him sang, dancing in a circle, surrounding the young, ragged child. _

"_DEVIL'S CHILD, DEVIL'S CHILD!" _

"_Hao-sama…" _

Hao snapped open his eyes, his breaths coming out in short, ragged puffs. It took him a moment to realize he was still in this wretched cave, and slowed his struggles. He leant back against the cave's rough wall and took slow, deep breaths, trying to control the overwhelming fury again at the spiritual binding that robbed him of his powers.

He had made a constant effort to stay awake these days, after realizing that he sometimes screamed in his sleep. His reishi ability had been floundering recently, but it was clear that it was at its strongest when his mind was most vulnerable. Some of the guards – and some of the cursed Asakuras – had had the gall to come into the cave to sneer at such a show of weakness, until the look in his eyes shut them up immediately.

Hao closed his eyes. He had no clear idea of how he had managed to pull through the past days. Not many had come into the cave since Akiko's visit, other than the guards responsible for bringing him food. Which suited him very well – he had enough of their filth in his mind without having to deal with them in person as well.

But it seemed that even he couldn't avoid the need for sleep – and this time, the nightmares had, for once, lost their precedence in place of another vision.

_Matamune. _

The presence of his loyal cat in his mind dredged up strange feelings in him, and it took him several moments to realize that there was a mixture of sadness, longing – and hope.

Matamune was a _nekomata_ – a demon cat, so feared in human legends, as usual. But there was just one thing the humans had been right about – the _nekomata_ were capable of entering dreams. And his reishi ability had only strengthened the clarity of the dream, something Hao knew that Matamune would realize too.

The message from his cat, though, had been far less comforting than Matamune's illusionary image.

Footsteps sounded outside his cave, drawing closer. Hao narrowed his eyes at the newcomer, his mind still grappling at Matamune's reasons for entering his thoughts.

"Well," Yorimichi said. "Aren't you looking as charming as ever, Hao."

_**END OF CHAPTER 26**_

* * *

**Author's Note:** **I had to re-read certain parts of the story to remember what the characters did or did not do while writing this chapter, but still… if there's any loophole, any discrepancy at all, please don't hesitate to inform me. By reviewing, of course.**

**The general sentiment among all you wonderful people seems to be that the story is reaching the end…. Well, I intend for that to be so. Wouldn't want to drag it for too long. I warn you first though, I was reading some of my draft outlines for this fic the other day, and my jaw dropped when I saw just how many changes I unknowingly made while actually writing the chapters themselves. So really, nothing is set in stone.**

**Ah well. Here's to hoping my muse will lead me, and lead me WELL – to the conclusion. My term starts next week, and after that… I may have to disappear again as I work on school and a novel, for a writers' contest of sorts. Remember to drop a review – it's a fic writer's lifeblood, remember. Once again, happy holidays!**


	27. Chapter 27

**Through the Ages chapter 27**

**So…how's everyone doing? Here's to hoping not too many have lost faith in this story. :( I humbly apologize. The last semester was simply unspeakable, but it's also because I was suffering from some lack of inspiration. Sorry.. **

**Thanks to all those who have PM-ed me or reviewed about the next update, because my reviewers are my MOTIVATION. You guys are awesome. **

**Hope everyone enjoys the chapter! **

**Disclaimer: **I no own Shaman King.

* * *

Yorimichi tilted his head, his smile never reaching his eyes, as he stared wordlessly at the chained onmyoji.

"Did you sleep well last night?" the question came, almost innocently.

Hao gave a brittle smile. "Hardly. I hear you bring exciting news."

Yorimichi gave a short laugh. "Indeed. One does wonder where you get your information from, Hao."

"Being perpetually unaware does seem a common trait among your kind," Hao remarked, still smiling.

Yorimichi's own smirk faded a little. "Oh?" he said softly. "And yet, Hao, even 'my kind' isn't so unaware of my dear sister's visit to you some days ago."

When Hao made no reply, Yorimichi continued. "What has she told you, Hao?"

"Why, my lord," Hao responded, feigning surprise. "Is this fear I sense in you now?"

The smile disappeared from the Fujiwara lord's face."Excuse me?"

"Fear of betrayal. Fear of what I may know that you do not." A mocking laugh escaped the imprisoned shaman, erratic and grating. "Betrayal – and fearing it – is for the weak, my lord."

Yorimichi stared at him, seemingly unintimidated by the onmyoji's cold gaze. "Do not test me, Asakura Hao," he uttered at last, his soft voice carrying no trace of amusement now. "You've had your glory days, but at this moment, the truth remains that I, and those whom you used to lead, have the power to execute you – right now, if I so wish it."

Hao laughed even harder. "Oh? Is that the reason why you have left five Asakuras outside this cave now? Are they here to kill me, my lord? Why then, are they so wary now of even standing at the entrance? Was my presence too disturbing for them to accompany you in facing me, _my lord_?"

Yorimichi had gone almost as white as Hao's gaunt complexion, rare anger evident in every line of his expression. "You forget your place, you devil's child." His voice was barely above a whisper.

"I'll have to return those words to you, Yorimichi," Hao replied. "Power…is the only absolute. Pay me every insult if you must, but the Asakuras, more than any human filth like yourself, know that I was always capable of wiping out the entire Fujiwara dynasty – if I so wished it."

Nothing was said for a few moments. Icy drafts from the biting wind outside rushed into the cave, although neither of the men appeared willing to look disturbed by the cold in front of each other.

Finally, Yorimichi smiled again, his eyes blank. "We seem to have forgotten the purpose of my visit."

"I had not," Hao sighed. He leaned back against the cave wall, managing an insolent posture despite his bindings. "Your sister, even at a time like this, still entertains ridiculous thoughts of a blissful marriage. Quite an airhead, she is – you should keep a better eye on her next time."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Yorimichi snapped.

"Apparently, an execution appears too distressing, especially when carried out in the midst of her wedding plans. She advised me to express…remorse… for my crimes - " his lips curled into a disgusted smirk " – so that she would have a chance of pleading leniency on my behalf. I believed humans could become no more foolish – but as usual, they never fail to surpass my expectations."

Yorimichi let out a disparaging sound. "Do you honestly expect me to believe that she came here with nothing but a rosy wedding in mind? Just a fortnight ago, she intimated to me about granting a pardon to you, and her fiancé didn't seem high on her list of priorities."

"Truly?" Hao now seemed bored. "She would have to be a bigger fool than I initially thought to mention something as frivolous as a wedding to change her clever brother's mind about a murdering demon. But your suspicions do not concern me, Yorimichi. That girl is simply dying to get married."

There was a pause. "I see," Yorimichi said. "Well, I certainly do hope that is true. But you will forgive me for not being entirely convinced. So just in case – " He retreated up the slope, heading back towards the cave's entrance.

Five soldiers appeared a few moments later, along with a single, expressionless Asakura. Yorimichi followed behind them, his smirk visible even through the dimness.

"So you see Hao, the people's fear of you can still be overcome by fear of far more pressing consequences, other than those from a weakened man," Yorimichi said. "We shall see if your tongue doesn't loosen soon enough."

Without any change to his expression, the Asakura began a low, ominous chant. In response, the rosary beads around Hao glowed, and he slumped forward, gasping painfully.

Out of the corner of his eye, Hao glimpsed a poker in a soldier's hand, glowing a bright, fiery ember. Rage and terror began to claw at him, constricting breath and causing sweat to roll down his cheek.

"Gentlemen," Yorimichi began. His voice was now so soft that it was barely audible in the damning silence. "Let's give our friend a taste of his own medicine, shall we?"

Screams filled the cave, their sounds echoing through the darkened tunnels ahead.

* * *

Manta awoke with a start. The moment he opened his eyes, he sat straight up, eliciting a few gasps around him.

"Y-you're awake," an uncertain voice said.

It didn't occur to him to see who was talking, for an agonizing shock passed through his head. He collapsed back down onto soft sheets, clutching his temple with a groan.

For a few moments, Manta didn't process the vague sounds of concern around him. All that mattered to him was his splitting headache, and the dawning memory of the screams that woke him.

"W-w-who screamed?" he stuttered, stupidly.

There was a pregnant pause before someone replied. "No one screamed," another voice replied cautiously. "You probably just had a nightmare."

_No, _Manta wanted to snap back. _It wasn't a dream. It wasn't…. _Someone, at somewhere, was in agony. He couldn't remember who, but it didn't stop a thrill of dread crawling over his flesh.

"How are you feeling?" the voice asked.

It was then that Manta became aware that his body _ached_. Gingerly, he pulled back a white, bulky sleeve over his arm and found bruises of proportions he hadn't thought possible before. He raised a hand to finger his cheek and winced as it touched upon slight swelling. And his skin felt hot to the touch.

"W-where are we?" he croaked. Blearily, Manta took in his surroundings – he was lying in the middle of what seemed to be a small, straw hut, supported by pillars and beams of wood. A thick futon lay beneath him, and surrounding him were some half a dozen people or so.

"You're in one of our bases," a young woman replied. "Well, we call it that, but this is really one of the few hideouts that Yorimichi's men haven't turned over yet."

The bitterness in her tone jolted his memory. "You-you're the woman who was almost caught by Yorimichi's soldiers just now."

The young woman smiled slightly. "I am," she confirmed. "But that was already two days ago. You've been unconscious from then."

"Two days?" Alarm rose in him, although he wasn't quite sure why. He forced himself upright, his upper body going weak at this slight movement. "What h-happened?"

The young man who too, had been nearly captured, spoke. "You were found by some of us in the snow, after your companions got captured two days ago. You've been out with a fever since then – and also with quite a bit of injuries," he said, eyeing Manta ruefully. "You've got a lot of bruises and some spraining in your ankle after your clash with Yorimichi's men, but you should be fine if you rest more."

It was then that Manta noticed the painful throb in his left ankle, and winced. He hadn't realized the multitude of blows that must have been struck at him, in the heat of the fight.

The memory of the riot brought a lump to his throat. "Did…did the Giantess…did she really…?"

"That big woman who came with you? Yes, she's…gone," the man finished sympathetically.

Manta slumped back. Whatever hope he had for his recollections to be nothing more than an awful nightmare died in him. He dreaded the answer to his next question. "And…the rest of them?"

"Last we heard, they're still imprisoned in Yorimichi's camp," the man said. "We haven't been able to gather anything else, but at least they're still alive."

_For now, _the unspoken thought ran through Manta's mind. He swallowed. Furin, Matamune, Goro, Yuki, and Hao… what was happening to them during the two days he had been unconscious?

His throat burned with shame when he remembered how he had run away after the captures. Did they blame him for that? Surely not… But what would have Hao thought of him?

For some reason, thinking about the onmyoji's reaction made Manta feel even worse.

"You are Oyamada Manta, is that right?" the woman said after a brief pause.

Manta nodded, feeling strangely unsurprised. "You've heard that from the Fujiwaras?"

"Notices from the Fujiwara family has spread far and wide for the past few weeks," the man confirmed. "I'm Aki, by the way, and this is Natsuko." He looked to the young woman across him. "With the incident at the village, we've been forced to join them in hiding as well."

Manta turned to follow Aki's gaze. Squeezed and scattered across the small hut, several people – most of them being families – were either nursing their children or waiting their turn for servings from a boiling pot of hot stew at the back of the room. Including the children, nobody was talking much, but they seemed willing enough to share whatever belongings they had with each other.

"Who are these people?" he asked despite himself.

"People who either have spiritual powers, or at least suspected of having them," the young woman, Natsuko, replied. "Ever since reports of Asakura Hao and his allies being on the loose, the Fujiwara army has been stepping up their presence in a lot of the villages in the capital, and on the outskirts as well. They say they're on the lookout for demons that have possibly allied themselves with Asakura Hao, but…." She clenched her fists, deep grey eyes narrowing in outrage.

"For those who are even suspected of having spiritual powers, they imprison them in their own houses, or worse…. No one dares talk about it, but disappearances have been on the rise. People stepping out of their houses and never to be seen again. Most of the commonfolk assume they have been killed, but it's precisely because no one really knows where they go that the people have become terrified."

At that, the memory of the village attacks by the disguised fox demons bubbled to the surface; outrage and terror had assaulted him then, when faced with the villagers' accusing faces, roused by the official's goading. He hadn't been thinking of anything except the injustice done towards his group – but now, he wondered how many of the villagers had been coerced into blaming them by Yorimichi's men.

Manta bit his lip as another thought occurred to him. Even through the haze of his fever and his remorse, he recognized the other danger these people would have to contend with. "Natsuko-san, Aki-san… I'm really grateful you rescued me from the snowstorm – " (He didn't mention how it might have been better to just leave him there) " – but if they ever found me with you, or the rest of these families, they wouldn't just imprison you. They would – "

"Probably make us join the fate they have planned for Hao-sama, is that it?" Aki laughed. "If they discover half of the things we've been responsible for, believe me, you'd be the least of our worries."

"Why's that?"

"Aki and I have been trying to take as many of those targeted by the armies under protection over the past few weeks," Natsuko explained. "We have other friends in other villages who are doing the same thing – trying to predict the next round of arrests so that we can take families into hiding before the soldiers come."

"Sometimes we're successful," Aki continued. He gestured at the families around them. "These people are some of the ones we've managed to take away in time. Of course, the soldiers have already noticed that there are people who have been giving tip-offs, and that's why it was important for us to be extremely careful. But after that little clash with the nobles' dogs two days ago - " He smiled wryly. " – we had to go into hiding ourselves as well."

Upon hearing this, the weight in Manta's stomach seemed to give way to a new urgency – a thirst for information. His mind began to race. "And all of Heian-kyo is going to have men being conscripted into the armies too, right?" he asked, trying to remember what the messenger had announced to the village two days earlier.

"They're in the process of that. It's also a way of creating better identification of the men and their families in both capital's and the outside villages," Aki said. A disgusted scowl twisted his face. "And if the men are unwilling or disobey orders, their families are always the best leverage the nobles can hold over them."

The sick feeling in Manta grew. He had always known, of course, that the villages had to have soldiers on the lookout for his companions, but he was never aware of the situation's gravity. "Yorimichi's taking this too far. He plans on using these men and soldiers to wipe out shamanism altogether?" Anger made his voice shake.

"Perhaps not – but kept well under his control, at least," Natsuko said bitterly. "We believe that he has convinced a number of the Asakura family to play a part in this."

A shock rippled through Manta. "The Asakuras?" he whispered. "But I thought…they were just looking for Hao?"

"That's one purpose of theirs," Aki agreed. "But as word has it, Yorimichi has promised them full monopoly of shamanism in the country if they agreed to support him. If all shamans in Japan were to be brought under the teachings of the Asakura family, it would be a true consolidation of power for them. Children are probably the best targets for them – gifted, impressionable young minds ready to be moulded into the ways of the Asakuras. Shamans who resist the Asakura control are… taken care of."

"But we think that not all the Asakuras are receptive to Yorimichi's offer," Aki added, more gently upon seeing the pale look on the small blonde's face. "So there may still be some hope."

A short, heavy silence followed, broken only by the murmurs of conversation around them. Manta mulled over what he had just heard, his hands still clenched in fists.

So it wasn't just the humans. Even powerful shamans, the Asakuras themselves, had played a hideous role in fuelling Hao's hatred towards humanity – and towards the own clan he had helped raise to prosperity. Little wonder, then, that Manta had always thought that the Hao of the modern time carried a subtle loathing towards the Asakura family, if the burned face of Yoh's father meant anything at all.

The thought of Yoh and his relatives caused bile to rise in his throat. When Yoh's grandfather, Yohmei, had regaled tales of the sinner, Asakura Hao, in the Ushitora temple, he had not mentioned this part of their history at all. Granted, things now were probably different from original events, given Manta's interference with the timeline; but if the Asakuras now were capable of using their powers for corruption, what would they have done, if Manta had never arrived in the Heian Period? What _had _they done, in the initial past, to cause Hao to lose faith in his clan?

It made him sick to know how Yoh's family – good people, he wanted to believe, who devoted themselves towards using their abilities to serve mankind – could have had ancestors who were more concerned with using their powers for gain.

He tried not to think of what Yohmei could have possibly known about the shady parts of his ancestors' history; it was easier to think that the Asakuras simply never passed down any documentation of their less-than-noble deeds.

His head jerked up at a sudden thought. He couldn't believe he had forgotten it, but if he remembered correctly, his history teacher had mentioned the phasing out of the death penalty during the Heian Period. Yet Hao was facing an execution now, with probably others to follow him.

"Um, correct me if I'm wrong," Manta asked. "But isn't the death penalty illegal in Japan now? How come Yorimichi has the authority to do this?"

"Well, about that," Natsuko said darkly. "He's gotten quite a lot of leeway to make an exception for Hao-sama's case. Yorimichi isn't the only who wishes for his death. They are many who fear him. And if what we have heard is true, Yorimichi intends to use Hao-sama's execution to legalize the start of capital punishment again. He actually made this suggestion years ago, as a way to maintain order and discipline in the country, but the ministers, including his father, refused to accept it. But now…"

He said no more. He didn't have to. Lord Yorimichi had cleverly manipulated the people around him, including the formidable Asakura family, by using fear as his weapon – and he was succeeding. It appeared that humans perhaps weren't all that powerless against shamans, after all, if they knew how to play their cards right. But the realization didn't bring Manta the encouragement he always thought it would.

He suddenly felt very tired.

"You should rest," Natsuko said gently. "You're still running a temperature, and we've got to get those injuries cured soon." Another man brought her a bowl of hot stew, and she handed it to Manta.

"Here, eat up. You should sleep, but there's a place at the back for you to relieve yourself whenever you need to."

But even as he allowed them to help him sit up to eat, Manta knew that sleep was impossible. His companions had fallen into the hands of a power-mad lord, while he had been sleeping the time away. If nothing else, he had to use his convalescence as a time for solid planning to rescue them and stop Yorimichi from going any further, before more victims occurred...

It was a crazy idea, considering how helpless he had proven himself so far. He hadn't any physical strength nor shamanic powers to speak of, although his days of training with the Giantess probably helped him some. But his presence in the Heian Period had most definitely distorted history, because of Hao's actions for his sake. If he wanted to repay the onmyoji, and his other allies, he could no longer become a mere bystander.

As he lay back down on the futon, the warm soup flowing pleasantly through his veins, he looked up at Natsuko and Aki. "Thank you," he said. "For…rescuing me."

They smiled at him. "Anyone who charges at the enemy to stop our arrests is almost always worth saving," Aki said lightly. "You will see your friends again, I promise you."

With that, they left his side. He stared at the ceiling, feeling slightly startled as the word 'friends' continued to ring in his ears, and he realized it was the first time he had truly considered Hao as such.

He closed his eyes, and started to think.

* * *

The spirit hovered above the ground.

It stared at the young lord, hatred welling up in it. It was because of him, all because of him. It had never felt hatred this strong in life – in death, however, the spirit knew it was capable of killing.

Lord Yorimichi sat alone, in his tent, reading a letter. Someone opened the flaps and entered – the spirit stiffened, in case it was an Asakura – but it was only a common soldier.

Then again, soldiers had been the ones who had destroyed its soul…

"Has his tongue loosened then?" Yorimichi asked the young recruit, almost lazily.

"No, sir," the soldier replied.

Yorimichi put down the letter and leaned back, a smile twisting his features. "As I thought, he won't break so easily. Has he blacked out yet?"

"Twice, sir. We woke him and continued the treatment, but he would not say anything of value."

"I see…" Yorimichi murmured softly. Idly, he twirled a calligraphy brush in his left hand and the spirit felt a fresh wave of rage wash over it at the brat's callousness.

With a rush, the light in Yorimichi's lamp blew out, as if having succumbed to a gust of the wind outside.

The soldier jumped, staring at the lamp uneasily, no doubt wondering what had caused the candle to die so suddenly. Yorimichi seemed unperturbed, save for a small frown on his face.

"Pardon me, my lord," the soldier said. "But it…perhaps…might be possible that the demon knows nothing. It seems inconceivable that he has not cowed to the treatment by now, even with his powers…"

Yorimichi raised his eyebrows, a dangerous glint in his eyes silencing the recruit immediately. "Do you feel sorry for him?"

"N-no," the soldier stammered. He clenched and unclenched his hands – a nervous tic. "It's just – it is time-consuming, this business, and I thought my lord would prefer – "

"Enough," Yorimichi said, and the man fell silent again. "Even if he can yield nothing useful, it would serve him well to remember that he is no longer the Fujiwaras' patriarch, if he ever believed such an impertinent thing. I will not suffer his insolence, even if it's before his death."

"Yes, my lord," the soldier muttered.

"You leave first," Yorimichi said, and the man departed quickly.

The Fujiwara lord stood up, arranged his papers in immaculate order, and stopped just near his tent's flaps. "Are you here?" he murmured.

The spirit's eyes widened, but said nothing.

Yorimichi smiled. "Your animosity towards me is almost impressive," he remarked. "Even after I ordered the Asakuras to put in your place, you've managed to escape…but I doubt you'd be able to do much with their powers restraining you still."

The spirit looked at him, and then realized that the lord could not see it…but somehow, had enough spiritual awareness to feel an unholy grudge against him.

The fact that Fujiwara no Yorimichi could appear so calm even before a vengeful spirit, made the ghost want to reach out and drag him down to the depths of hell with it, reincarnation be damned.

"I'll be speaking to the Asakuras about some…stronger spells they have up their sleeves," Yorimichi said, and disappeared out of his tent, towards the cave that held the imprisoned onmyoji.

Opening its mouth, the spirit let out a scream that no one could hear.

* * *

Groaning, the small blonde rolled on his side, his eyelids feeling as if they had been sewn shut. When he managed to open his eyes, he realized it was already dark. The people in the hut were fast asleep, snoring peacefully. For most part, it was silent, save for the crackle of a fire in the middle of the hut and a few quiet voices outside. Faintly, he thought recognized Aki and Natsuko's among them.

His throat felt parched. The fever seemed to have subsided a little, but his bones still ached and his slight dizziness had not faded. He winced when he felt the impact of his bruises whenever he shifted.

Carefully, Manta reached for his rucksack, placed on the floor beside him, and pulled it open. He was relieved to find that no one seemed to have gone prying into his things when he was sleeping, and discovered his laptop and history books.

As quietly as he could, Manta withdrew a waterskin he received from the inn they had stayed in after they left the Fujiwara household, and took a huge gulp of water. He was about to stuff it back into the rucksack when he noticed a strange flickering of light at the bottom.

He pulled out his laptop, the weight of cool metal feeling foreign in his hands. The power light was blinking erratically…and yet, Manta knew that his laptop had been shut down for most part of his journey.

It wouldn't be any good to have someone walk in and find him holding his laptop. Quickly, he pulled on his peasant clothes, folded neatly beside his futon, over the simple white yukata, and crept towards the back, where Natsuko had mentioned earlier. He grimaced as each step impacted his injured ankle, and prayed not to tread on any of the sleepers.

He managed to find a thin, hurriedly-made shoji screen towards the left of the house. Barefooted, he limped behind the small outhouse, shivering in the cold night wind, although the snowstorm, thankfully, had died down.

Ignoring how his toes were already turning blue with cold after scuffing through the thick layers of snow, he sat down and, almost hesitantly, raised the lid of his laptop.

For almost a minute, there was nothing but static. Feeling a little creeped, Manta tapped gingerly on a few keys on the keyboard.

"It's not spoiled, is it…?" Manta muttered to himself, hitting a few other keys, more urgently this time.

Then the screen sprung to life and colour. What he saw nearly made him fling his laptop up into the trees.

"Hello Manta," the image of thousand-year-old Hao greeted him. His red, lego-gloved hands were folded leisurely beneath his chin, a cool smile splitting his teenage face. "How are you? You've taken quite a while to answer my call."

_**END OF CHAPTER 27 **_

* * *

**Author's Note: Whew. Given that it's been a disgusting amount of time since I last updated (as usual), do point out any mistakes or loopholes to me. I can't remember all of what I've written, despite my efforts to re-read my chapters whenever needed. So if there is anything that doesn't make sense, REVIEW, and I'll try to do a halfassed job in covering it up and pretending it was all part of Hao-sama's plan. **

…**.Ahem. Well, do leave a review. The new formatting has kindly made it easier for us FF readers to drop a comment, so PLEASE. Thanks. **

**Until next time! **


	28. Chapter 28

**Through the Ages chapter 28**

**I always thought six months' lag time in updates would be my record, but apparently, it has been shattered. If there's anything in my defense, I'm actually not home now. I'm currently in the UK, completing a six-month exchange programme. So I've been busy settling in, in a foreign country, and playing and slacking the days away… **

**Whatever it is, this chapter is finally finished. This is unfortunately what I consider rushed work – because now it's the Easter holidays, I'll be spending most of April away from my desk and travelling instead. Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Shaman King. Don't sue.

* * *

"I hear you've been having quite an adventure lately," Hao remarked.

"Eyahahaaa," was all Manta could manage.

One of Hao's eyebrows perked up, his face formed in mild amusement as his gaze bored holes into Manta across a laptop screen.

"Well said," the shaman answered.

A deep flush ran up Manta's face even as he regained enough coherence to speak an actual language. "What are you… what are you _doing_?"

The image of a visibly younger-looking Hao rested his chin on one hand. His smile was friendly, but Manta had seen smiles like that on crocodiles in the zoo as well. "That, my dear boy, should be my question to you."

"I…" Manta said.

"Where are you?" Hao interrupted. His tone was still light, but held an undercurrent of brusqueness that caused an unpleasant jolt in Manta's stomach.

"I've gone back a thousand years in the past," he blurted despite himself. "I don't know how, or…or why, but I'm in the Heian Period of Japan."

Hao's expression didn't change, save for the slight fading of his smile. "I see," he said. "Well, I expected that much."

"How about you?" The question spilled out before Manta could stop himself. The surreality of engaging in a conversation with a future Hao – via what was practically video conferencing – was still overwhelming him, but his mind began to race with urgency. "How are able to…to _talk _to me like this? Where's Yoh-kun and the others?"

"Relax," Hao replied lazily. "Yoh and the rest of your little group are here. Having their little group discussion about you, no doubt, in their own rooms. But here, in Anna's kitchen…" – he casually spread out his gloved palms – "it's just you and I."

"Are you in Funbari Inn?" Manta asked in amazement.

"Yes. Apparently, your disappearance drove Yoh desperate enough to come and ask me to find out what went wrong with this." Hao drew something from somewhere beside him. He held up a copy of the Cho Senji Ryakketsu, its tattered appearance in full view of the screen. "You've led your friends on quite a merry way, Manta. I myself had to think of a way to establish some form of communication with you."

"How did you do that?"

Hao narrowed his eyes in apparent contemplation. "Another of your acquaintances…what's the name of that group? Ah yes. The Lily Five." His lips curled up, as if the name itself threatened laughter on his part. "One of the ladies in there had binoculars as her medium, didn't she? Apparently with some tweaking, her visions could stretch further than just over mere physical distance. No doubt her limited capability as a shaman made it impossible for her to discover this potential."

"You…you took it? From her?" Manta stammered, his insides twisting.

"Borrowed. She didn't object." Hao continued to stare at him, amusement apparent at the younger boy's expression.

Outrage began to replace the shock clouding his mind. "You didn't..._kill…_"

Hao only raised an eyebrow. "Now it is my turn to ask the questions," he said.

His indifference caused Manta to burst out, his intimidation rapidly disappearing and giving way to fury. "No, _you _answer me! Did you kill her? All of them? You monster!"

Hao's smile had completely faded. The rest of his face could have been carved from stone as he allowed a heavy silence to fall between them. Manta was breathing hard, rage and terror warring against each other in him.

"No, I have not," Hao finally spoke. His voice lowered, dangerously soft. "Those women are still alive and well, if not a little shaken from their…encounter. Don't interrupt me again."

Manta bit his lip and gave a stiff nod.

"All right." Hao leaned back, a cool smile spreading across his face again. "Let us get straight to it then, shall we? How long have you been there?"

Manta swallowed, trying to remember. "I think…about two months?" He had never really kept track of time since he arrived. "It was about late October when I first got here, so it's probably January…"

"It is only middle of November here," Hao said. When Manta gaped, Hao continued. "Time doesn't pass quite the same way on that side, I see. And how have you been spending your time?"

Manta swallowed again. He firmed his lips. "I want to ask you something first. Are Yoh and the others ok?"

A slight upturn of Hao's mouth gave away sardonic cheer. "That's a subjective question. However, shall we say they are, physically, unharmed? That is, as long as they continue to respect the boundaries of my followers, and myself, as long as we continue our statuses as guests in this nice inn. And I might have acceded to your wishes and allowed you to speak with them if only their…enthusiasm… would have hampered our conversation."

" 'Allow me…' " Manta muttered, indignation at the shaman's arrogance pricking him in spite of himself.

If Hao noticed, he ignored it. "Now, your answer, if you will."

"Erm," Manta uttered. He cleared his throat, his mind suddenly blank. How could he explain all that had happened - his witnessing of Hao's growing madness, his capture, and the capture of all of his companions, all because of Yorimichi…

His hesitation made Hao's eyes narrow. "Well?"

"Is it true?" Manta suddenly burst out. "Did some of the Asakuras betray you to Yorimichi after all?"

If he thought Hao would have shut down, or ignore his question, he was wrong. Fire flashed in the shaman's eyes, the sudden spark of madness dancing in their depths. Without thinking, Manta cringed away, as if expecting certain repercussions to lash out from the screen.

And yet, recklessness (or stupidity) made him press on. "Did they? You… I know about your reishi ability. I know it's caused you a lot of pain, like Yorimichi has, or…or Murasaki and the rest of the family. And I…I want to…"

"Silence," Hao said coldly.

Manta stopped. He held his breath as he watched a mix of anger and something else dance across Hao's expression, almost expecting an outburst of wild, murderous temper like he had witnessed in the Heian era.

Finally, another smile slowly stretched across his lips, but it didn't brighten his expression as it usually did. It was an ugly thing, only serving to enhance the madness smouldering beneath the cheerful visage. Manta wanted nothing more than to slam the laptop down, but he refused to let his fear get the better of him.

"You know of Zenki and Kouki, do you not?"

The unexpected question took Manta aback. "Y-yes?"

"They are currently under subjugation in the mountains just west of Osorezan," Hao continued. "Their abilities may be of use if the Asakuras should prove troublesome."

"Subjugation?" Manta uttered. "But…"

"However, only a shaman of reputable ability will be able to free them without…consequences," Hao said. "Of course, you are quite free to choose to find your own means of defense should you ever have to face the Asakuras." His smile became condescending. "So I can only wish you the very best of luck."

Manta fought down a bristle at the thinly veiled sarcasm. "But why tell me this?"

Hao didn't answer for a while, only continued to stare at him. Manta started to fidget.

"Seeing as our attempts at getting you back have been fruitless, consider it a little advice for your own survival over there," Hao remarked. He let out a sigh as he drummed his fingers on the table. "That foolish attitude of yours may just even take you further than any of us can expect, if the Great Spirits are good."

Manta didn't know what to respond to that. Instead, he decided to ask the question that had been tugging at his mind thus far. "Do you…do you remember anything? Anything different?"

"Some." Hao leaned back, sighing. "Your interference has been an annoyance, I'll give you that much. Unfortunately, I have yet to think of a solution to bring you back, given the amount of trouble you've already caused."

Manta flinched, feeling rather like an exceptionally naughty child. "You started a lot of it as well," he accused.

Hao let out a short laugh, dark amusement evident. "You've become bolder than I thought. The Oyamada Manta I knew had never been this insolent. We'll see how far that attitude takes you…or lasts, I suppose."

Before Manta could say anything, Hao made a gesture with his hand. And then all that was left was a blank screen, filled with static.

* * *

He couldn't breathe.

The realization was more terrifying than Hao would have ever cared to imagine or admit. A desperate madness seized him when he realised he had been wounded by a pathetic, clumsy, _human _attack – a literal punch to the gut.

Worse were the sneers that echoed around the cave walls, each sound tearing at him as he choked and gasped. The front of his mangled robe hung loose, torn apart by his tormentors, revealing blackened, burn scars that darted viciously across a bare torso.

"Look at the almighty Asakura Hao now, eh?" one soldier jeered, holding the still-glowing poker like a shiny new toy. "He ain't that great, after all, is he…"

"What's it like getting burned then, huh? Feels good?" A second, younger soldier kicked him in the stomach. The weakened onmyoji slumped forward, sucking in a scream at the renewed agony of his wounds.

The soldier's eyes blazed with vicious satisfaction. "That's for my father, you bastard!"

"Control yourself," the Asakura snapped. In his hand was a spiritual link over the 1080 beads, ensuring the imprisoned onmyoji had no way of escaping its bindings. Determinedly, he looked away from the sight of Hao coughing up blood, the dark red stains seeping through the cold damp ground. "What's the point of this if he cannot speak of his conversation with the lord's sister?"

The soldier scowled, but relented. "Apologies, Hiroshi-san," he mumbled.

Hao couldn't say who he was more disgusted with – himself, or the young Asakura aiding and abetting in his torture. He still remembered the nervous boy he had had the grace to take in after nearly being killed by brigands, his innate shamanic potential evident even as a young, terrified child.

He had given him a life, a future.

Now he, among many others, had repaid that faith with treachery.

"What?" Hiroshi snapped, feeling the haunted stare of his former master searing through him.

Hao could hear his thoughts. _This is for the better, _Hiroshi was frantically trying to convince himself. _This is for the good of all the Asakuras. He's always refused to teach us the ways of his true power. Always stopping us. Hindering us. There is nothing left for the Asakuras if he continues to lead us… _

He slumped forward, his long hair hiding his face. _Has he finally broken? _echoed his tormentors' thoughts.

Hao threw his head back, laughing.

His captors shrank back at the sound of wild laughter bouncing off the cave walls, like from a demon released from hell. They stood, both amusement and indecision forgotten, petrified at the sound of maniacal hysteria that had seized Asakura Hao.

"_So weak…" _The words escaped the gaunt man's mouth in a slow hiss.

"W-what did you say?" Hiroshi tried to sound threatening, but instead, his voice came out in a high-pitched squeak.

"Y-you are…" Breathless laughter continued to escape from Hao's lips, almost in demented giggles. "_Weak. _You…you who have allied with these filthy humans would never dare challenge me if I had not lost my powers …and you, who lack the resolve even to commit yourself to the damnable choices you have made."

Hiroshi's eyes widened, hearing none of the squawks uttered by the soldiers around him.

Hao's gaze, now utterly mad, bored into him. And heavens forbid, he couldn't look away, no matter how hard he tried.

"If you cannot believe in your own power… you cannot believe in the power of others," Hao rasped. "You are a foolish, weak little worm, Hiroshi. And you will rue this day, my friend…as will your traitorous companions."

The younger Asakura gritted his teeth. "You'll regret that, Hao-_sama_" he spat. He gestured to the man beside him. "More!"

Trying to regain his former grin, the soldier took the poker to his captive. "Maybe I'll carve one of those little fucking stars you love so much into your back, what d'you think?"

And Hao screamed – part in agony, part in rage, and partly to drown out the mental cries of his loyal _nekomata _against his master's pain.

No one understood. None of them did.

But Asakura Hao would be powerless no more.

The blood that dripped from his back fell in droplets on the beads binding his wrists. Unseen by them all, the beads pulsed a dark, red glow, loosening by just an inch – but not quite yet enough to fall off completely.

_Soon. _

From within the darkened tunnels ahead, the spirit felt its own low thrum of power caressing those beads, easing them apart – and smiled.

* * *

Akiko could still hear the screams.

Unwisely, she had gone out from her tent when the snowstorm had finally died down. Just three days ago, she heard the triumphant news – more of Asakura Hao's companions had been captured in a nearby village. Her heart clenched painfully when she realised they must have gotten past the guards and left the safe house.

_Stupid, _she thought, uncharacteristically angry for once. She had kept them there and placed her trusted guards with them for their own safety while she tried to make sense of her brother's true intentions.

But after that, uncomfortable fear began to overtake her, as she knew she had been guilty of harbouring the new prisoners, even for just a period of time. If they talked of her involvement with them…

Still fearful, and upset at her own cowardice, she ventured out from her tent with her brother's own guards quickly falling in step behind her, as they always did. But she must have been walking faster than she thought, for she heard _him _before the guards could stop her.

A chill that had nothing to do with the winter crawled up her spine at the sound, even as the guards non-too-gently led her away from near the cave that held Asakura Hao. Even while far enough from the prison, Akiko could still hear the unearthly screams repeating in her head.

"Lady Akiko," one of the guards murmured behind her. "Perhaps if you will return to your tent? The demon's noise must have disturbed you."

Akiko swallowed, almost wanting to lash out at the two guards flanking her. How could they feel nothing at all, no guilt or even fear at the treatment of a man who once served the family so loyally?

_Or maybe they know they will join the same fate if they protested against this, _a more reasonable side of her spoke.

Akiko took a deep breath, her unpainted lips (for once) trembling as she fought to regain her composure as that of the prospective bride of the imperial Prince Ichijo.

"No," she said, as regally as possible. "I will take a short walk away…away from that place, if you will."

The guards murmured assent, albeit reluctantly, and fell in step behind her as she paced through the thick layers of snow, her thick fur coat trailing behind her. She ran into several other soldiers, who looked taken aback and more than uncomfortable at having a woman – a high-born one at that - in their presence. Nonetheless, they bowed and mumbled greetings to her before carrying on their business.

Akiko continued moving forward, her legs feeling as if they had turned to lead. She slowed when she saw her brother exit from his tent, dressed in more impressive colours than usual. A few officials surrounded him – some of the nobles who were residing near north had managed to arrive earlier before the Fujiwara-led group, who were still on the road. Privately, she suspected they might have been late supporters of the Fujiwaras who only joined her brother's cause when they realised the young Fujiwara upstart might be able to reward them some benefits after all.

Half of her wanted to confront her brother, while another half nagged her to simply turn away. But it was too late – Yorimichi's eyes found her, her form well out of place amongst the other men swilling about the place. He raised a hand to her, and after speaking a few more words with the other officials, went to her side.

"Dear sister," he greeted. "Was there something you wanted to see me for?"

Akiko opened her mouth, and then closed it. She was more than aware of the furtive glances they were receiving, from both soldiers and the court officials still lingering outside Yorimichi's tent; it would do her no good if she confronted at her brother in public.

As if reading her thoughts, Yorimichi took her gently, but firmly, by the arm and led her into the nearby forest, away from the bustling camp.

"What is it?" her brother asked, the noise from the camp now lowered to a mere buzz.

Akiko pressed her lips, resisting the urge to grip the bark of the tree behind her. _How can I say this? _But her brother was waiting expectantly, looking at her in puzzlement.

"I can hear him screaming," Akiko eventually whispered.

For a brief moment, her brother's face closed, and she didn't miss it. But as expected, Yorimichi eased his expression, carefully removing any instance of displeasure.

"Are you talking of Asakura Hao?" he asked.

Akiko drew herself up to full height and spoke with an anger she had never known she had in herself. "So you do know about it? That you have…men… putting another human being under so much pain? I've always supported my family, you know that! But this…_ this. _I can't. This is barbaric. This is not _human_."

She could feel tears threatening to well up. She turned her gaze away, furious at her weakness. She could not – would not – allow her brother to scorn her for a woman's frailty.

The Fujiwara lady felt her hand taken into his. She stiffened, trying to pull away, but Yorimichi's grip was strong.

"Onee-sama," he said, in a gentle voice that made her want to scream or cry – she didn't know which. "You don't understand. This is necessary."

"_Necessary?"_ Mingling with her anger, a trickle of fear crept into her. Was this truly her brother speaking?

"Listen to me." Yorimichi waited until she was ready to take in anything else he was saying. "That man…Asakura Hao, holds secrets to evil powers still. And if he is allowed to conceal them, we – and that is including the Asakuras who have joined our cause – will never be able uncover the depths of his monstrosity, or stop his threats from coming true. Even weak as he is, he has had the arrogance to threaten our family, to kill innocents like yourself…"

"Threats? What _threats_ from a weakened, defenseless man could possibly warrant such torture?"

Yorimichi shook his head. "You do not understand. The Asakuras have informed me of the true extent of his powers. I fear even restrained as he is, he will have more sorcery up his sleeves, sorcery we would fail to understand…"

Akiko closed her eyes. _Oh Yorimichi, my brother. You have never liked Asakura Hao, ever since you were a young man, when you believed your fiancé had lost her heart to him, do you truly take me for a fool? _

"Yes, I have heard of his sorcery, my brother," she said. "I have heard the stories, of the Asakuras getting their word out to the commoners, of the demonic sins Asakura Hao has committed. But tell your men to _stand down._"

Yorimichi stared at her, his expression unreadable.

"Tell your men to stand down, Yorimichi," Akiko repeated. She clenched her fists to keep her voice from trembling, as she gave her first direct order, to her own kin. "End this barbarism immediately."

"They will think me weak if I tell them to stop now, Akiko," Yorimichi said softly.

"Then tell them the truth. Tell them the screaming bothers me, and you, being the good brother that you are, have the responsibility to end your older sister's distress. A woman cannot cope with fear as well as men do, Yorimichi."

A pregnant pause fell between them. Then Yorimichi let out a sigh. "I had ordered everyone to keep away from the cave, and thought you would be far enough from it. I knew it would upset you. But I suppose, with guards as incompetent as mine…

"Very well," Yorimichi said. "To respect my elder sister's wishes, I will order my soldiers to prolong the treatment no longer. Would that satisfy you?"

Akiko released her breath. "Yes, Yorimichi." She knew she had to explain herself, somehow, if she wanted to maintain appearances. "I am sorry. It is…a woman's weakness, and this… this distresses me far too much."

"Of course, Onee-sama," Yorimichi reassured. "Shall we return?"

At his sister's nod, he allowed her to walk a little in front of him as they made their way back to camp. If she felt the weight of his stare upon her, she gave no hint of it.

* * *

Night had already fallen by the time Lord Yorimichi returned to his tent. Inside, about a dozen of the Asakura family sat in front of him, their shadows dancing across the tent walls as the candles flickered.

"Has it ceased?" Yorimichi asked, from his place behind his table.

"Yes, my lord," one of the Asakuras said – Hiroshi, that was his name – the younger Asakura responsible for the treatment meted out to Asakura Hao.

For a moment, Yorimichi thought he detected a flicker of relief in Hiroshi. He had specifically chosen him as one of the tormentors, to further make an impression on the young, somewhat reluctant Asakura member towards his former mentor's imprisonment. No doubt he had acted upon the fear of reprisal from his peers; it had been slightly amusing to see the look of death on Hiroshi's face when he returned from his experience, as he realised he would never be able to wash clean the memory of his former master's torture at his own hands.

"I see." He turned to another Asakura, a beefy man with a large, scraggly beard. "I trust your set-ups will be completed soon?"

"Soon, my lord. The barrier should drown out all sound if we work undisturbed for a few days," the man intoned.

Yorimichi watched as Hiroshi's head snapped up, feeling mild pleasure as alarm lit up the younger man's face. "B-barrier?"

"Of course. You didn't think such a man deserves to have mercy given to him, do you?" Yorimichi folded his hands beneath his chin. "I only wish for my dear sister to be undisturbed from such necessary horrors. We will resume treatment once you people have built up a reasonable blockade."

"But if – if he truly has nothing to tell – "

"As long as he is withholding information about what ideas he has planted in my sister's head, and the location of the Manta boy, there will be no compromise on my part," Yorimichi said softly. "I understand though, if you wish to be separate from this."

Hiroshi suppressed a shudder, and shook his head. "N-no, my lord. I will serve the Asakuras and Fujiwaras."

_At least he understands the consequences if he attempts to extricate himself from this, _Yorimichi reflected with satisfaction. "Very good, Hiroshi."

He settled back and looked once around him. "Is Ishimoto absent? As the current head of the Asakura family, I would have expected him to be present today."

"He is…unwell," another Asakura answered, with noticeable hesitation on the last word.

"Oh?" Yorimichi said. Several of the Asakuras shifted, uncomfortable. "That is too bad."

"He will attend the next one, I assure you, my lord," Hiroshi said quickly.

"That would be welcome," Yorimichi said lightly. Ishimoto might have already heard about Asakura Hao's current plight. He would have to make note the old man's absence and what it probably meant. "No matter. How is your business proceeding?"

In answer, the scraggly-bearded Asakura withdrew a small bottle that pulsed with orange light. He opened the bottle and flung its contents into the air.

Immediately, the tent seemed to burst into a brilliant mosaic of glowing light, causing Yorimichi to squint until the light died down. Flames had erupted at the bottom of the tent sheet, rising almost as high as the roof itself…yet the canvas itself remained unharmed, with no heat emanating from the fires.

"Remarkable substance," Yorimichi complimented, allowing no trace of wonder or awe into his voice. "One of Hao's designs, Kazuo?"

"Indeed, Lord Yorimichi," said the bearded old man.

Dark shadows began to emerge from the flames, almost ephemeral in their forms. They soon morphed into living images of people – but mostly children. They were sitting hunched up in what appeared to be a cramped space.

"We have managed to gather most of these children for tutelage," Kazuo informed him. "Most of these children are particularly gifted, and their families – or at least, the ones who do have families – have acceded to our request to school them."

Yorimichi smiled. "And what have you done with these families?"

"We've guaranteed their silence about our…methods," Kazuo answered, with a hint of grudging reluctance in his words. "Those who refuse to accede to us have been promptly dealt with of course."

"How efficient," Yorimichi murmured. "I have to admit, even I did not expect such quick agreement from the lot of you. I would've thought such acts would have damaged your moral compass a bit more."

"This is the price we have to pay if we want the Asakuras to flourish any longer," Kazuo said, in his gravelly voice. "Hao has never seen fit to grant us authority of our own."

"Yes, I have heard about his craving for control over all your activities," Yorimichi mused.

"He may be more skilled than any of us, but his refusal to see a need for succession will be the downfall of the Asakura family," Kazuo said, his beard quivering with more vehemence. "That is why we have pledged ourselves to your cause, my lord."

"For which I am grateful for. As promised, I will soon permit freer reign of your activities and promote you to a much higher station than Asakura Hao has ever done." Yorimichi smiled, almost benevolently. "You will be allowed to delve as much as you like into Hao's possessions, and the other forms of shamanic arts, both within Japan…and maybe even beyond this country alone."

Feeling the thrum of assent and fervor among the group, Yorimichi smiled to himself. He eyed the images in front of him, critically noting the forlorn appearances of the children. "And do remember do something about the children. Since their parents have acceded to us, there is no need to be unkind. Wash, feed, clothe them and give them proper shelter… There should be enough funds provided at the Fujiwara quarters for your needs."

"Yes sir," Kazuo agreed immediately.

"Moving on then. How far is your progress for tracking the boy?"

There was a slight pause as Kazuo, again, answered on behalf of all of them. "The snowstorm and his small size made it impossible to track him effectively. We only picked up on his trail before it ended near the Dewa province."

"Oh? And you cannot resume the trail even if the storm has died down?"

"We are helpless against nature, Yorimichi-sama," Kazuo replied, with a hint of defensiveness. "Snowstorms and blizzards have an effect even on shamanic magic, and can erase a trail just as easily as any spell."

"Fortunately, I can think of a more effective solution, beyond that of snowstorms and blizzards," Yorimichi responded. He leaned forward, his eyes dark. "Send word out that I want all villages turned over, all forests and all corners searched, around the Dewa province. The boy could not have gone far in the storm, unless someone has rescued him. I want the ones responsible for hiding the boy found. And when they are, kill them."

"My lord?" Hiroshi inquired, his voice containing just the merest hint of a tremble.

Yorimichi ignored him. "There is no need to hold back. Arrest all suspects and have them taken in for questioning."

"My lord," another Asakura intervened. "Such extreme acts…against the peasants… may be deemed in…in bad taste, my lord…"

"We are not here to bandy words and poetry as we usually do, gentlemen," Yorimichi interrupted, his voice like steel. "The nobles have been soft for far too long, wasting their time on beauty and appearances. I intend to rectify that.

"Do not worry," he went on. "After the boy is found, I shall have no need to harass the good northern folk of Japan any longer. Peasants from the capital have already been won to my side and have been enthusiastic soldiers thus far, right in our camp now. They should prove useful in your mission."

Their silence was all Yorimichi needed. He dismissed them, and the magnificent flames disappeared as well, with not even a hint of smoke or ash left behind. But he continued to stare at where the flames were, as if triumph was already waiting there.

_**END OF CHAPTER 28**_

* * *

**Author's Note: So how did you like it? **

**Let me know in the reviews (or flames, if you like…). Like I mentioned, this chapter was quite rushed - do let me know what you think and what mistakes or discrepancies you've spotted. Happy Easter everyone! **


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